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BX8915  .P4  1895  v. 3         ^ 
Peck,  Thomas  E.  1822-1893. 
Miscellanies  of  Rev.  Thomas 
E.  Peck  . . 


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MISCELLANIES 


Rev.  Thomas  E.  Peck, 

D.   D.,    LL.   D., 

PROFESSOR  OF  THEOLOGY  IN  THE  UNION  THEOLOGICAL 
SEMINARY  IN  VIRGINIA. 

COMPLETE  IN  THREE   VOLUMES. 


VOL   III., 


Containing  the  Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
AND  Briefs  and  Sermons, 


SELECTED  AXD  ARRANGED  BY 

REV.  T.  C.  JOHNSON,  D.  D. 

with  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  DR.   PECK, 
By  Rev.  C.   R.  Vaughan,   D.  D. 


Htcl^monb,  X>a. : 

The  Presbyterian  Committee  of  Publication. 
1897. 


Copyright,  1S97, 

BY 

JAMES  K.   HAZEN,   Secretary  of  Pubhcatzon. 


Printed  by 

Whittet  &  Sheppekson, 

Richmond,  Va. 


CONTENTS. 


I.    BlOGKAPHICAL   SKETCH  OF  Dr.  PeCK,  BY  Dr.  C.  K. 

Vaughan, 

II.  Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  . 
III.  Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  : 

1.  On  Acts  i.  6-8, 

2.  On  Acts  i.  8, 

3.  On  Acts  ii.  4, 

4.  On  Acts  ii.  4, 

5.  On  Acts  ii.  21, 

6.  On  Acts  ii.  39, 

7.  On  Acts  iii.  25,  26, 

8.  On  Acts  vi.  1-6, 

9.  On  Acts  ix.  6, 

10.  On  Acts  x.  29, 

11.  On  Acts  xi.  26, 

12.  On  Acts  xiv.  1, 

13.  On  Acts  xvi.  31, 

14.  On  Acts  xx.  28, 


7 
31 

209 

210 

215 

216 

219 

220 

223 

226 

228 

230 

234 

239 

240 

242 


Contents. 


15.  On  Acts  xxii.  10 ;  vi.  3, 

16.  On  Acts  xxii.  10, 

17.  On  Acts  xxvi.  24,  25, 

IV.  Sermons  Eeferred  to  in  the  Sermon  Briefs  on 
Acts: 

1.  On  1  Thessalonians  ii.  13,     . 

2.  On  Komans  iii.  2,   . 

3.  On  2  Timothy  iii.  16, 

4.  On  Luke  i.  1-4, 

Y.  Other  Sermons  and  Briefs 

1.  On  Gen.  i.  1, 

2.  On  Matt.  i.  21,      . 

3.  On  Matt.  ii.  12-23, 

4.  On  Matt.  xiii.  3-8, 

5.  On  Matt.  xiii.  24-30, 

6.  On  John  iii.  6, 

7.  On  John  viii.  44,    . 

8.  On  John  xv.  24,     . 

9.  On  John  xix.  30,    . 

10.  On  Eomans  i.  16,  17, 

11.  On  Komans  xiii.  11-14, 

12.  On  2  Corinthians  viii.  9, 


PAGE. 

243 
246 

257' 


262 
266 
270 
273 


281 
284 
287 
290 
296 
302 
312 
337 
341 
346 
350 
355 


Contents. 


13.  On  2  Timothy  iv.  18, 
11.  On  Titus  ii.  11-14, 

15.  On  1  John  iv,  15, 

16.  On  2  Peter  iii.  8,  9, 

TI.  Index  of  Scripture  Texts, 
VII.  General  Index,    . 


PAGE. 

361 
369 
375 
383 

395 

406 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  DR.  T.  K.  PECK.' 

By  Rev.   C.   R.   Vaughan,   D.  D. 


DE.  PECK  was  born  iu  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  on  the 
29th  of  January,  1822.  He  was  the  son  of  Ephraim 
Peck,  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  Sarah  Bannister  Parke, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Parke,  LL.  D.,  professor  of  the  classic 
languages  in  the  College  of  South  Carolina.  His  father,  a 
man  of  delicate  constitution,  had  come  south  for  his  health, 
and  opened  a  small  mercantile  establishment  in  Columbia. 
After  a  few  years'  residence  he  united  with  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  developed  a  strongly  marked  and  active 
Christian  character.  On  the  4th  of  January,  1821,  he  inter- 
married with  a  daughter  of  Professor  Parke,  and  after  a 
married  life  of  somewhat  over  eleven  years  died,  leaving  four 
living  children,  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Thomas,  the 
oldest  child,  was  ten  years  old  at  the  time,  and  William,  the 
youngest,  just  two  months  old.  The  daughters,  Mary  Susan 
and  Ann  Catharine,  grew  to  womanhood  and  married,  the 
first,  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Hay,  the  second,  Rev.  Lucius  Simon- 
ton.  After  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Peck  lived  with 
her  father  until  his  death  in  1840.  She  opened  a  school  for 
small  children,  and  soon  her  school-room  was  full.  For 
many  years  she  pursued  this  business  for  the  support  of  her 
children.  Mrs.  Peck  was  a  remarkable  woman — strong- 
minded,  cheerful,  a  devoted  Christian,  resolute,  active  and 
persevering.      Prematurely  widowed,  yet  content  with   her 

'  Dr.  Vaughan  prepared  this  sketch  for  the  Union  Seminary  Magazine. 
It  appeared  first  in  that  periodical  in  the  March-April  No.  of  1894. 

7 


8  Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck. 

lot,  the  brave  young  mother  fought  her  battle  for  her  chil- 
dren with  consummate  energy  and  with  unfaltering  faith  in  a 
covenant-keeping  God.  Her  reward  was  rich,  even  in  this 
world,  and  in  the  noble  character  and  career  of  her  oldest 
son  her  reward  was  richest.  Living  in  the  home  of  his 
grandfather,  the  early  days  of  Thomas  Peck  were  spent  in 
the  atmosphere  of  a  college.  His  traits  were  early  formed 
into  a  scholastic  type.  His  preparatory  training  was  con- 
ducted in  the  academy  of  the  town  then  under  charge  of  John 
Daniel,  an  efficient  and  faithful  teacher.  He  was  ready  for 
college  before  he  had  completed  his  fourteenth  year.  At 
that  early  age  he  entered  on  his  collegiate  course,  took  the 
regular  ciuTiculum,  and  graduated  with  great  distinction  in 
the  eighteenth  year  of  his  age.  In  the  year  1838  he  was 
brought  into  connection  with  the  person  who  was  destined 
to  exert  the  controlling  influence  on  his  mental  and  spiritual 
character.  Dr.  James  H.  Thornwell  entered  the  college  on 
his  first  professorship  at  that  time.  The  young  professor 
and  his  congenial  pupil  were  soon  attracted  to  each  other, 
and  the  web  of  destiny  began  to  weave  between  them.  A 
strong  personal  attachment  sprang  up.  Dr.  Thornwell  was  a 
frequent  and  welcome  visitor  at  the  home  of  his  pupil  as  well 
as  a  most  influential  power  over  him  in  the  class-room. 
Under  this  fortunate  connection  young  Peck  was  brought  to 
the  obedience  of  the  Christian  faith.  This  occurred  in  his 
junior  year,  but  he  made  no  open  profession  of  his  faith 
until  after  his  graduation.  During  his  college  career  his 
grandfather.  Dr.  Parke,  served  as  librarian  and  treasurer  of 
the  institution,  and  his  grandson  was  associated  with  him  in 
the  discharge  of  both  offices  during  the  intervals  in  his 
studies.  After  the  death  of  his  grandfather  young  Peck 
was  continued  in  the  office  of  librarian.  There  is  nothing 
known  of  the  mental  processes  by  which  he  was  led  to  the 
conviction  that  it  was  his  duty  to  enter  the  ministry.  It  was 
probably  under  the  same  influence  which  had  led  him  to  the 


BioGiiAi'HicAL  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck.  9 

acceptance  of  the  gospel.  After  his  mind  was  made  up  he 
entered  the  Seminary,  but  before  two  weeks  had  passed  he 
was  suddenly  seized  with  an  attack  of  sickness,  and  was  for- 
bidden by  his  physician  to  resume  his  studies  for  six  months 
after  his  recovery.  Singular  to  say,  he  never  re-entered  the 
Seminary.  Continuing  in  the  position  of  librarian  to  the 
college,  he  commenced  the  study  of  theology  under  the  guid- 
ance of  his  friend,  the  young  Professor  of  Metaphysics.  All 
his  theological  training  was  from  him.  It  is  a  singular  cir- 
cumstance that,  living  in  a  stone's  throw  of  a  theological 
seminary,  he  should  never  have  sought  its  advantages.  He 
had,  undoubtedly,  an  extraordinary  substitute  in  the  great 
talents  and  strong  personal  friendship  of  an  extraordinary 
man.  At  that  time  both  of  them  had  doubts  of  the  advan- 
tages of  a  seminary  training ;  nor  were  Dr.  Peck's  views  on 
the  subject  entirely  settled  until  he  was  called  himself  to  the 
work  of  teaching  in  such  a  school.  By  his  own  experience 
of  both  methods  of  ministerial  training,  he  finally  became 
satisfied  of  the  superior  value  of  the  seminary  system,  except 
the  cloistered  life  of  the  student.  He  at  length  obtained 
licensure  and  entered  on  his  work.  His  first  engagement  was 
in  Fairfield  district  where  he  preached  to  the  churches  of 
Salem  and  Jackson,  the  latter  now  Lebanon  Church.  While 
thus  engaged  his  friend,  Dr.  Thomwell,  received  a  call  to  the 
Second  Church  of  Baltimore,  just  vacated  by  the  resigna- 
tion of  Dr.  Robert  J.  Breckenridge.  This  call  was  accepted. 
But  the  College  and  State  of  South  Carolina  generally  were 
opposed  to  his  going,  and  insisted  on  the  rigor  of  the  law, 
which  required  a  year's  notice  to  be  given  before  a  professor 
could  resign.  With  the  consent  of  the  church  in  Baltimore, 
Dr.  Thornwell  sent  Mr.  Peck  to  fill  the  place  until  he  could 
be  honorably  released.  This  policy  ultimately  resulted  in 
Thornwell's  remaining  in  Columbia,  but  the  movement  proved 
decisive  in  the  case  of  his  young  friend.  A  church  was  in 
course  of  erection  on  Broadway  Street  in  Baltimore  for  the 


10  Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck. 

accommodation  of  a  colony  from  the  Second  Church.  The 
building  being  completed  and  a  church  organized,  Mr.  Peck 
was  called  as  pastor,  and  entered  on  the  charge  in  1846. 
The  congregation  was  never  large,  and  there  was  little  pro- 
spect of  encouraging  growth.  The  population  of  that  part 
of  the  city  was  chiefly  composed  of  Methodists  and  Koman- 
ists;  and  for  several  years  the  fine  abilities  and  faithful 
preaching  of  the  young  pastor  contended  in  vain  with  the 
surrounding  difficulties.  His  style  of  preaching,  though  of  a 
high  order,  was  not  popular  in  the  sense  which  draws  people 
without  any  partialities  to  his  system  of  belief  to  attend  on 
the  services  of  a  minister.  His  labor  was  not  altogether  in 
vain.  The  congregation  grew  steadily,  though  slowly,  and 
the  thorough  training  of  a  teacher  so  clear  and  effective 
moulded  many  a  valuable  servant  of  the  kingdom  who  after- 
wards became  the  strong  helper  of  other  churches. 

In  the  year  1857,  on  the  retirement  of  a  warm  personal 
friend  from  the  charge  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Lynchburg,  Virginia,  Mr.  Peck  was  unanimously  called  to 
the  pastoral  office,  without  ever  having  been  seen  or  heard 
by  any  member  of  the  congregation.  With  his  peculiar  views 
such  a  call  came  with  peculiar  force.  He  at  once  visited  the 
church,  and  on  a  survey  of  the  ground  announced  his  will- 
ingness to  accept  the  call  if  the  church,  having  now  seen  and 
heard  him,  saw  proper  to  confirm  their  invitation.  His 
presence  and  the  taste  of  his  quality  intensified  the  purpose 
of  the  people  into  eagerness;  the  call  was  renewed  and 
promptly  accepted,  unless  the  Presbytery  of  Baltimore  inter- 
posed to  prevent.  That  body,  which  had  been  content  to 
let  him  struggle  on  in  this  difficult  position,  without  any  spe- 
cial sympathy,  at  once  roused  to  the  apprehension  of  losing 
him.  The  Central  Church,  just  vacated  by  the  resignation  of 
Dr.  Stuart  Robinson,  immediately  extended  a  call  to  him. 
The  two  proposals  came  before  the  Presbytery  at  once,  and 
the  body  decided  in  favor  of  the  church  in  Baltimore.     Mr. 


Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck.  11 

Peck,  suppressing  his  personal  preferences,  assumed  the  care 
of  a  large  and  important  field  in  the  same  city  in  which  he 
had  spent  twelve  years  of  discouraging  work. 

After  he  had  been  actively  engaged  for  several  years  as 
pastor  in  the  Broadway  charge,  Mr.  Peck  was  married  to 
Miss  Ellen  C.  Richardson,  the  daughter  of  Scotch  parents, 
and  /I  staunch  Presbyterian.  The  marriage  proved  singularly 
fortunate.  No  two  people  were  ever  better  suited  to  each 
other.  The  strong  character  and  sterling  piety  of  the  wife 
was  just  suited  to  the  strong  character  and  sterling  graces  of 
the  husband ;  and  during  a  married  life  of  nearly  forty  years 
each  proved  the  best  earthly  blessing  of  the  other.  Seven 
daughters  were  born  to  them — four  in  Baltimore  and  three  at 
Hampden-Sidney.  Three  of  these  died  in  infancy,  and  one 
in  the  very  bloom  of  womanhood. 

After  Mr.  Peck  had  been  in  charge  of  the  Central  Church 
some  twelve  or  eighteen  months,  in  the  year  1859,  he  was 
elected  to  the  chair  of  Ecclesiastical  History  and  Church 
Government  in  Union  Theological  Seminary  in  Virginia. 
The  call  was  promptly  declined,  for  the  reason  that  he  had 
been  so  short  a  time  in  the  Central  Church  he  did  not  sup- 
pose he  had  fulfilled  the  divine  will  in  putting  him  into  that 
field.  But  during  the  ensuing  winter  his  health  began  to  fail ; 
he  was  becoming  fully  satisfied  that  preaching  in  so  large  an 
audience  room  was  injuring  him,  and  when  the  call  to  the 
Seminary  was  renewed  in  the  spring  of  1860,  he  accepted  it. 
He  reached  his  new  jjost  on  the  7th  of  April,  1860,  and  en- 
tered on  the  happier  life,  and  the  long  term  of  over  thirty-three 
years  of  honored  and  useful  service,  which  was  terminated 
by  his  death  on  the  2nd  of  October,  1893.  His  health  had 
been  steadily  failing  for  a  year  or  two  before  his  death,  but 
his  work  was  unflinchingly  done  up  to  the  close  of  the  term 
in  the  spring  of  that  year.  But  the  welcome  vacation  brought 
no  reUef  to  the  subtle  disease  that  was  preying  upon  him. 
He  steadily  grew  worse,  and  on  the  opening  of  the  fall  term 


12  BlOGEAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  Dr.  T.  E.  PeCK. 

he  was  unable  to  meet  his  classes.  The  work  of  the  Semi- 
nary had  just  gotten  under  way  when  it  was  interrupted  by 
the  tidings  that  the  venerable  and  beloved  instructor  in  the 
theological  department  had  passed  into  the  peace  of  God. 
He  had  not  completed  his  seventy-third  year.  On  the  after- 
noon of  the  next  day  the  funeral  services,  held  in  the  College 
Church,  were  attended  by  a  large  assembly,  composed  of  the 
entire  population  of  the  village  of  Hampden-Sidney,  the 
officers  and  students  of  both  institutions,  and  delegates  from 
the  surrounding  congregations.  The  demonstration  of  respect 
and  sorrow  was  as  marked  as  were  the  claims  of  the  dead  to 
receive  it.  All  the  family  of  the  deceased  who  were  in  this 
country,  except  his  aged  mother,  were  in  attendance  and 
shared  in  the  amazement  of  the  whole  assembly  in  hearing 
the  voice  of  the  widowed  wife  mingling  bravely  in  the  song 
of  praise  which  greeted  the  advancement  of  the  good  man 
into  his  high  estate.  The  quiet  history  of  a  quiet  life  is 
easily  told.  The  task  of  making  a  just  estimate  of  the  talents 
and  character  of  a  remarkable  man  now  remains  to  be  done, 
and  presents  a  work  of  much  greater  difficulty. 

The  personal  character  of  Dr.  Peck  was  strongly  and  beau- 
tifully marked.  Its  leading  quality  was  an  absolute  and  in- 
flexible integrity.  Even  in  his  boyhood  he  was  grave  and 
thoughtful  beyond  his  years,  though  now  and  then  the  under- 
lying traits  of  a  different  sort  would  show  themselves  in  out- 
breaks of  joyous  merriment.  He  was  not  fond  of  society  • 
he  was  not  fond  of  sport ;  his  habits  were  studious ;  his 
mind  was  more  engaged  with  books  and  serious  reflection 
than  with  the  employments  which  are  commonly  suited  to  the 
boyish  age.  As  he  grew  older  these  tendencies  strengthened. 
Under  the  care  of  his  faithful  teacher,  John  Daniel,  he  made 
steady  and  rapid  progress.  His  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of 
his  duties  made  him  the  favorite  pupil  of  his  master.  Always 
obedient,  always  faithful  to  his  appointed  tasks,  a  strong  per- 
sonal attachment  sprang  up  between  them.     He  was  fully 


Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck.  13 

prepared  for  college  before  he  had  completed  his  fourteenth 
year.  He  at  once  entered  on  his  collegiate  career,  bnt,  uu for- 
tunately, was  placed  in  the  freshman  class  when  he  ought  to 
have  been  placed  in  a  higher  position,  where  his  energies 
would  have  been  suitably  taxed.  He  found  the  tasks  of  the 
freshman  course  so  easy  and  familiar,  his  well-formed  habits, 
not  yet  confirmed  and  hardened,  gave  way  to  a  carelessness 
which  finally  brought  on  him  a  touch  of  censure.  But  only 
a  touch  was  needed,  and  from  that  time  his  energies  were  so 
well  directed  that  he  graduated  with  great  distinction.  Dur- 
ing his  tenure  of  the  librarian's  office,  he  made  good  use  of 
his  opportunities  for  personal  improvement,  and  after  Dr. 
Thornwell's  appearance  on  the  scene,  and  especially  after  the 
entry  of  divine  grace  into  his  heart,  his  character  soon  took 
on  the  colors  which  marked  it  to  the  end  of  his  days.  The 
natural  gravity  of  his  temperament,  and  the  natural  bent  of 
his  intellect  to  a  thorough  and  accurate  apprehension  of 
whatever  subject  engaged  his  attention,  developed  a  charac- 
ter of  intense  integrity,  sober,  steadfast,  staunch  in  principle, 
tinged  with  something  of  the  severity  which  strong  convic- 
tions will  always  impart,  and  is  often  mistaken  for  the  severity 
of  personal  disposition.  So  far  was  this  from  being  true  of 
Dr.  Peck,  that  underneath  this  grave  earnestness  and  ele- 
vation of  moral  conviction  glowed  the  fire  of  a  generous  en- 
thusiasm, warm  affections,  and  what  seemed  to  be  so  incon- 
gruous as  not  to  be  suspected,  a  keen  sense  of  humor,  a 
lively  wit,  and  strong  sensibilities  to  the  charms  of  home,  to 
the  value  of  friendship,  to  the  love  of  country,  and  to  the 
love  of  race.  The  most  marked  trait  of  his  character,  men- 
tal and  moral,  was  his  devotion  to  principle.  His  intellect 
always  sought  the  central  principle  of  a  subject ;  his  heart 
was  always  open  to  the  naked  force  of  obligation.  Conform- 
ity to  the  will  of  his  chosen  Lord  was  the  leading  trait  of  his 
religious  character.  Obedience  to  the  law  of  right,  full  ad- 
justment of  character,  feehng  and  conduct  to  the  demands  of 


14  BlOGRA-PHICAL  SKETCH  OF  Dr.  T.  E.  PeCK. 

truth  in  every  sphere,  and  especially  in  the  sphere  of  revela- 
tion, were  the  objects  which  regulated  all  his  energies.  He 
would  do  what  he  thought  was  right,  no  matter  if  he  stood 
alone  against  overwhelming  odds,  no  matter  whom  it  hurt, 
no  matter  whom  it  offended.  He  was  repeatedly  tried  in  this 
way  during  his  connection  with  the  Presbytery  of  Baltimore. 
He  more  than  once  voted  alone  against  the  whole  body,  and 
the  event  almost  invariably  justified  his  resistance  to  the 
prevailing  current.  His  convictions  of  the  obligations  of 
rio-ht  were  inexorable.  This  resolute  fidelity  sometimes 
puzzled  the  lovers  of  expediency,  and  their  politic  sup- 
pleness shrank  under  the  severity  of  convictions  which  they 
could  not  understand.  Yet  there  was  not  an  atom  of  pride 
or  selfishness  in  it;  it  was  the  sole  datum  of  an  integrity 
that  never  flinched  from  responsibility,  or  tampered  with  its 
own  convictions  of  truth  and  rightness.  His  views  of  himself 
were  profoundly  humble.  He  saw  the  evils  of  his  own  heart 
with  a  distinctness  and  a  deep  sensibility  which  scourged  his 
self-esteem  into  complete  abnegation.  All  these  exhibits  of 
stern  fidehty  were  the  fruit  of  his  deep  insight  into  the  obli- 
gation of  truth  and  duty.  If  there  ever  Kved  in  this  world  a 
man  of  high  and  staunch  principle,  it  was  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Of  the  stuff  martyrs  are  made  of,  he  was  all  com- 
pact. His  ideal  of  Christian  character  was  framed  on  the 
words  of  our  Lord,  "//  ye  love  m.e,  Jceep  my  commxindments.'' 
His  conscience  was  tender  and  imperative  in  its  ascendency. 
His  affections  glowed  under  his  steadfast  demeanor  like  the 
white  heat  of  anthracite.  It  is  often  the  case— and  he  was  a 
typical  instance — that  under  the  grave  and  steadfast  charac- 
ter of  a  Calvinist,  so  often  misunderstood,  there  glows  the 
sweetest  and  tenderest  affections,  the  hveliest  sensibilities  to 
poetic  beauty,  to  the  charms  of  wit,  and  even  a  frohcsome 
humor.  Dr.  Peck  was  full  of  these  seemingly  incongruous 
qualities.  His  affections  were  strong  and  naturally  received 
what  they  gave.     His  family  were  devotedly  fond  of  him ;  his 


Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck.  15 

students  loved  him ;  his  friends  were  strongly  attached  to  him. 
His  laughter  was  so  full  of  intense  merriment  it  was  irresis- 
tibly contagious.  His  own  wit  was  as  bright  as  his  enjoy- 
ment of  the  wit  of  others.  It  seemed  a  singular  expression 
of  character  to  see  this  grave,  earnest  mind  abandon  itself  to 
a  hilarity  so  free  and  joyous.  His  feelings  were  all  deep  and 
energetic,  and  in  theu'  higher  moods  would  sometimes  flow 
over  into  his  preaching  until  the  vigorous  logic  and  the  stately 
march  of  his  periods  would  glow  like  a  chain  of  steel  in  the 
fire  of  a  furnace.  In  the  earher  years  of  his  religious  history, 
he  was  subject  to  occasional  fits  of  depression,  but  in  later 
years  these  passed  away.  This  is  the  common  experience  of 
men  of  uniisual  talents.  They  stand  on  the  threshold  of  the 
great  arena  eager  for  the  competition  and  thirsting  for  suc- 
cess, yet  uncertain  of  themselves ;  their  abilities  untested ; 
and  the  strong  impulses  to  action  checked  and  fretted  with 
the  doubt  whether  the  venture  will  prove  a  source  of  satis- 
faction or  distress.  In  many  cases  this  stage  of  the  mental 
development  produces  moodiness  and  irritation;  discontent 
with  self  breeds  suspicion  of  others ;  and  the  manifestations 
of  character  become  unpromising  and  perilous.  In  Dr. 
Peck's  case  there  was  nothing  of  this ;  the  firm  texture  of  his 
mind,  and  his  strong  hold  on  the  principles  of  religion,  held 
down  such  efi'ects  of  depressed  feeling,  and  left  him  only  to 
the  grief  it  created,  and  to  the  silence  of  a  steady  endurance. 
As  he  passed  on,  and  the  development  of  his  intellect  and 
his  growth  in  grace  expanded  into  maturity,  his  steadfast  na- 
ture, with  its  underlying  currents  of  lively  and  affectionate 
sensibility,  grew  equable  in  their  habitual  manifestations. 
His  work,  whatever  it  was,  was  always  well  and  faithfully 
done,  according  to  the  law  of  his  own  exact  and  veracious 
conception  of  duty. 

As  a  thinke?',  Dr.  Peck  was  peculiar  in  some  respects.  His 
intellect  was  thoroughly  developed  under  the  boundary  lines 
of  his  own  gifts.     Its  leading  characteristic  was  the  power  of 


16  Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck. 

analysis ;  and  this  faculty  was  under  the  control  of  a  feeling 
of  obligation  to  truth  which  determined  the  utmost  thorough- 
ness and  exactness,  both  in  his  processes  and  his  conclusions. 
He  struck  straight  for  the  central  principle  in  every  subject 
of  his  investigation,  and  vigorously  followed  the  logical  lines 
of  its  development.  In  his  sermons,  in  the  briefs  of  his  lec- 
tures, in  all  his  work,  this  character  of  completeness  and 
precision  of  outline,  this  thoroughness  of  analysis,  was  con- 
spicuous. His  logical  expositions  rung  clear  in  every  link. 
This  trait  seems  to  have  been  characteristic  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  of  his  career.  It  appears  in  a  marked  degree 
in  one  of  his  trial  pieces  for  licensure  now  before  us.  It  ap- 
pears in  a  still  more  striking  form  in  his  Ecclesiology,  the 
little  work  which  embodies  the  mature  results  of  long  years 
of  professional  exertion  in  the  class-room.  Occasionally  this 
vigorous  pursuit  of  thoroughness  subjected  him  to  disadvan- 
tage in  his  public  preaching.  He  was  at  times  apparently 
over-trained,  made  stale  by  over-exertion,  to  use  a  phrase 
from  the  scientific  discipline  of  modern  athletics,  and  there 
would  be  a  noticeable  lapse  of  faculty  due  to  weariness  from 
the  strong  wrestle  with  his  deep  compacted  analysis.  But  as 
a  general  rule,  it  brought  him  into  the  pulpit  or  the  chair  of 
his  lecture-room  with  a  mind  full  of  well-digested  thought. 
He  left  little  room  for  impulse,  for  sudden  inspiration,  for 
flashes  of  feeling  or  fancy.  His  mastery  of  the  art  of  mental 
composition  was  complete  in  a  rare  degree,  and  when  he  was 
called  upon  to  use  his  well-wrought  material  he  was  ready  to 
respond.  Not  very  often,  and  yet  not  very  rarely,  his  feel- 
ings would  kindle,  not  by  flashes  but  by  steady  increase,  into 
an  intense  glowing  animation,  and  interpenetrate  the  strong- 
linked  cable  of  his  argument  until  it  was  hot  with  passionate 
emotion.  But  usually  it  came  forth  in  a  clear,  well-sustained 
and  strong  stream  of  calm  thought,  bearing  on  the  purpose 
in  view  with  pointed  logical  power.  Dr.  Peck  was  no  specu- 
lative genius,  careering  over  the  fields  on  either  side  of  his 


Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck.  17 

line  of  march,  and  pushing  on  mere  tentative  expeditions. 
His  mind  was  not  inventive,  but  didactic — trained  to  exposi- 
tion, not  to  discovery.  His  fidelity  to  his  task  as  the  teacher 
of  a  great  fixed  creed,  his  love  of  positive  truth,  his  conscien- 
tious obligation  to  present  no  mere  probability  as  authorita- 
tive reality  kept  him  back  from  all  mere  tentative  excursions. 
This  stern  integrity  made  him  the  invaluable  teacher,  not  less 
than  the  high-toned  Christian  man  that  he  was.  But  as  an 
expositor  of  truth,  as  an  exegete  of  Scripture,  as  a  philosophic 
student  of  history,  he  was  probably  without  a  rival  in  his  day. 
Clear  as  a  brilliant  day,  his  well-hammered  expositions  left 
the  feeling  on  his  audiences  in  the  public  assembly  and  on 
his  classes  that  he  had  reached  and  was  building  on  the 
bottom  rock  of  his  subject.  The  only  fault  of  his  teaching 
was  the  natural  tendency  in  the  class  of  minds  to  which  he 
belonged  to  push  his  logic  to  extremes,  and  with  less  regard 
to  the  effect  of  circumstances  in  modifying  conclusions  than 
is  necessary  in  some  cases.  His  place  as  a  teache?'  will  be 
hard  to  fill. 

This  supremacy  of  the  analytic  faculty  obscured  faculties 
of  less  prominence  though  existing  in  no  unseemly  dispro- 
portion to  it.  His  imaginative  faculty  was  vigorous,  but  was 
seldom  allowed  to  show  itself  in  those  forms  in  which  alone 
it  is  popularly  recognized.  It  made  itself  apparent  in  his 
clear  and  often  stately  style,  in  the  general  hues  and  colors 
sometimes  thrown  over  his  topics,  and  in  the  definite  outlines 
impressed  on  his  narrative  of  facts.  It  seldom  appeared  in 
the  mere  ornament  of  his  diction ;  still  less  frequently  in 
positive  trope  and  figure,  or  imaginative  analogies. 

As  a  jy'&ttcher,  Dr.  Peck  justly  took  a  high  rank.  His 
manner  was  ordinarily  quiet ;  he  used  little  gesture ;  there 
was  no  dramatic  power.  But  from  the  full  fountain  of  a  full 
mind  flowed  a  steady  stream  of  clear-cut  and  continuous 
argument,  brightened  now  and  then  with  a  diffused  coloring 
of  imaginative  conception  and  infused  with  a  spirit  of  habit- 


18  Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck. 

uul  earnestness,  which  now  and  then  deepened  into  passion- 
ate fervor,  and  rose  into  the  region  of  a  positive  and  high 
eloquence.  Occasionally  a  flash  of  sarcasm  would  bite  in 
the  impression  of  the  truth  with  extraordinary  power.  Gen- 
erally there  was  an  entire  mastery  of  himself;  occasionally 
he  would  be  caught  up  in  the  torrent  of  his  emotions,  and 
the  entire  audience  would  follow  with  breathless  interest  a 
discourse  protracted  far  beyond  the  modest  limit  ordinarily 
placed  on  his  discussions.  A  scene  like  this  in  his  earlier 
life  is  still  remembered  in  the  Buifalo  congregation,  when  he 
preached  for  an  hour  and  a  half  on  the  anticipation  of  heaven, 
during  which  he  came  down  from  the  pulpit  and  walked  back 
and  forth  before  the  people  with  his  eyes  streaming  with 
tears  and  his  lips  trembling  under  the  torrent  of  his  pathetic 
conceptions.  A  similar  scene  in  some  respects  occurred  in  a 
sermon  delivered  in  Farmville  during  the  war.  Such  exhibi- 
tions, however,  were  rare.  The  prevailing  type  of  his  preach- 
ing was  just  what  the  commission  of  the  gospel  requires  of 
every  gospel  minister,  "'Go  teach  all  nations^  Dr.  Peck's 
preaching  was  didactic  and  eminently  instructive ;  its  staple 
was  clear  exposition ;  it  was  aimed  to  develop  as  clearly  and 
fully  as  possible  the  mind  of  the  Spirit.  The  convincing 
power  of  his  statements  was  wonderful,  and  constituted  one 
of  the  charms  of  his  preaching.  His  exegesis  of  Scripture 
was  exact  and  full ;  and  when  he  had  hewed  the  truth  out  of 
the  mine,  his  analysis  of  its  significance  bore  the  stamp  of 
that  thoroughness  and  exactness  which  was  the  leading  trait 
of  his  thinking.  His  enforcement  of  the  truth  on  the  heart 
and  conscience  bore  the  marks  of  the  deep  earnestness  of  his 
convictions.  His  style,  both  in  speaking  and  writing,  under- 
went a  change  as  he  passed  from  youth  to  age,  although  even 
to  the  last,  when  roused  in  preaching,  the  stately  march  of 
his  periods  renewed  the  musical  vigor  of  his  earlier  discus- 
sions. The  longer  sentences  which  distinguished  his  style  at 
first  grew  compact  and  often  curt  in  his  later  work.     The  ex- 


BlOGKAl'HK  AL  SKETCH  OF  Dll.  T.  E.  PeCK.  19 

pression  of  collateral  connections  in  his  ideas  was  cut  down ; 
all  modifications  which  interrupted  the  straight  progress  of 
the  main  thought  were  pruned  away.  He  struck  straight 
from  the  shoulder;  every  word  not  essential  to  carry  the 
thought  was  ruled  out.  His  style  grew  sententious  and  terse, 
almost  curt.  The  thought  stood  revealed  in  itself  and  in  its 
relation  to  the  end  in  view,  with  no  room  for  question  of  its 
meaning  or  its  intent.  This  development  no  doubt  was  due 
to  the  training  of  the  class-room,  and  the  necessity  for  preci- 
sion and  clearness  in  his  instruction  of  his  classes.  But  it 
was  at  the  same  time  a  development  along  the  line  of  the 
leading  trait  of  his  intellect,  and  probably  would  have  made 
its  appearance  if  he  had  continued  to  teach  only  from  the 
pulpit.  His  manner  of  speaking  also  changed;  there  was 
little  variety  in  his  emphasis  in  passing  from  sentence  to  sen- 
tence, but  the  supreme  power  of  his  clear  thinking  was  un- 
abated to  the  end. 

Dr.  Peck  was  eminently  a  biblical  preacher.     He  under- 
stood that  his  commission  was  to  preach  the  word,  to  teach 
whatsoever  the  Master  had  said.     His  faithful  and  reverent 
spirit  abhorred  the  prostitution  of  the  Christian  pulpit  into  a 
rostrum  from  which  all  sorts  of  subjects  were  discussed,  and 
the   instruction    of   the   people   made    subordinate  to  their 
amusement.     In  this  matter  his  example  and  his  instructions 
were  faithfully  exerted  to  impress  correct  conceptions  of  gos- 
pel preaching  on  the  students  under  his  care.     As  long  as 
such  men  are  moulding  the  character  of  the  rising  ministry, 
the  church  has  at  least  one  valuable  guarantee  that  it  will 
not  lack  for  ministers  who  need  not  be  ashamed  of  their  work. 
As  a  teacher.  Dr.  Peck  carried  the  same  traits  of  thorough- 
ness and  exactness  into  the  class-room.     His  explanations 
were  alwavs  clear,  distinct  in  outline  and  thoroughly  digested 
in  the  analvsis  of  the  body  of  the  subject.     His  procedure 
was  the  old  common-sense  Socratic  method  of  question  and 
answer,  following  the  statements  of  the  text-book  closely,  and 


20  Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck. 

thus  discovering  the  fidehtj  with  which  the  student  had 
mastered  it.  Where  he  agreed  fully  with  the  text  his  concur- 
rent expositions  were  brief.  When  he  differed  with  the  text 
his  expositions  of  his  own  views  were  extended  and  carefully 
made.  Occasionally  he  would  resort  to  what  was  the  favorite 
method  of  Dr.  Baxter  and  Dr.  Thornwell.  After  requir- 
ing the  statement  and  proof  of  a  point  from  the  student,  each* 
of  those  great  dialecticians  would  assume  the  defence  of  the 
opposing  error,  thus  reveaUng  the  lines  of  attack  on  the  truth 
and  requiring  the  learner  to  expose  the  error  and  defend  the 
truth.  Then,  in  the  close  of  the  wrestle,  the  teacher  would 
expound  clearly  the  whole  ground  covered,  display  the  error 
in  the  antagonist  reasoning,  and  show  the  strength  of  the 
supports  of  the  truth.  As  a  general  rule,  Dr.  Peck  was  con- 
tent with  a  fair  statement  of  the  opposing  position,  and  then 
with  a  direct  exposure  of  the  infirmity  of  its  defences.  His 
manner  to  the  students  was  always  kindly,  not  demonstra- 
tively sympathetic,  though  his  sympathies  Avere  always  true 
and  strong,  and  whenever  an  appeal  was  made  to  them  it 
was  always  so  met  as  to  make  a  repetition  far  easier  than  the 
original  application.  He  was  hardly  ever  severe  in  censure ; 
a  silence  that  was  as  vocal  as  words  and  more  impressive 
was  his  method  of  rebuke,  and  a  few  grave  words  of  kindly 
warning  were  the  only  approach  to  discipline.  He  was  so 
revered  by  his  classes  nothing  more  was  needed.  He  was  so- 
licitous to  evoke  the  powers  of  the  student,  and  used  an 
effective  degree  of  effort  for  the  purpose,  but  had  no  extra- 
ordinary aptitude  for  this  species  of  influence.  His  great 
merit  lay  in  the  unrivalled  clearness  of  his  expositions  of  the 
truth  and  its  opposing  error.  There  was  no  excuse  for  any 
student  leaving  the  class-room  with  any  incompetent  concep- 
tions. If  he  paid  due  attention  he  could  not  fail  to  carry 
away  just  views  of  the  subject. 

As  a  writer,  the  traits  of  style  which   distinguished   his 
preaching  appeared  in  his  written   discussions.     Whenever 


Biographical  Sketch  op  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck.  21 

he  did  A\'^-ite  for  the  public  press  the  work  was  vahiable ;  but 
it  was  a  fault  -with  him,  as  it  is  with  other  gifted  men,  that  he 
published  so  little.  He  has  left  behind  him  but  few  com- 
pletely wi'itten  sermons,  but  a  great  mass  of  notes  and 
sketches  from  which  it  may  be  possible  to  make  a  valuable 
contribution  to  the  literature  of  the  church,  and  to  leave 
something  more  than  his  living  influence  to  attest  the  qualities 
of  a  most  noble  servant  of  the  Master,  and  to  extend  the  in- 
fluence of  his  noble  gifts.  We  earnestly  hope  this  may  be 
done.  Dr.  Peck  published  one  small  volume  containing  the 
notes  of  his  lectures  on  Ecclesiology.  It  is  packed  from  be- 
ginning to  end  with  the  rich  results  of  his  study,  and  lends 
emphasis  to  the  regret  that  he  published  no  more.  Occupy- 
ing for  years  the  chair  of  Ecclesiastical  History  and  Church 
Government,  he  was  fully  competent  to  have  given  many  a 
valuable  lesson  to  the  church  and  the  world  from  his  thorough 
mastery  of  the  story  of  the  visible  kingdom  of  our  Lord. 
Occupying  for  years  the  chair  of  Theology,  he  was  fully  com- 
petent to  have  added  to  the  treasures  of  the  church  in  the 
exposition  and  defence  of  her  creed.  His  actual  publications, 
besides  the  little  volume  just  mentioned,  are  limited  to  a  few 
review  articles,  a  few  sermons,  and  a  few  articles  in  the 
Baltimore  Critic,  of  which  he  was  at  one  time  joint-editor 
with  Stuart  Robinson.  It  is  due  to  the  memory  of  Dr.  Peck 
that  this  deficiency  be  made  up  out  of  his  posthumous  writ- 
ings if  it  can  be  done. 

There  is  one  great  service  rendered  by  him  which  is  not 
generally  known  and  in  some  respects  perhaps  the  greatest 
he  ever  rendered.  He  is  to  be  credited  with  restoring  to  the 
church  that  principle  of  her  creed  v/hich  is  now  recognized, 
that  giving  is  an  ordinance  of  worship.  It  is  assuredly  a  re- 
markable fact  that  principles  and  even  public  ofiices,  dis- 
tinctly set  forth  and  solemnly  covenanted  to  be  observed  in 
the  written  creed  of  a  church,  may  not  only  pass  out  of  use, 
but  actually  out  of  knowledge.     The  ofiice  of  the  deacon  and 


22  Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck. 

the  principle  that  giving  is  an  ordinance  of  pubhc  worship 
are  samples  of  this  fact  in  the  history  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  iu  this  counti-y,  and  we  believe  also  in  the  history  of 
the  same  church  in  the  British  Islands  and  on  the  continent  of 
Europe.  When  the  work  of  missions  at  home  and  iu  foreign 
parts  fairly  begun  in  this  country,  the  only  recognized  method 
of  raising  the  necessary  funds  was  by  means  of  agents  sent 
round  to  visit  the  churches.  The  very  end  and  purpose  of 
the  organized  church  was  this  very  enterprise  of  spreading 
the  gospel  and  providing  the  men  and  means  to  do  it  through 
her  own  established  instrumentalities.  Yet  this  great  lead- 
ing end  of  the  church  had  completely  died  out  of  the  know- 
ledge and  practice  of  the  church ;  and  when,  under  the  stress 
of  the  difficulties  created  by  this  extraordinary  condition  of 
things,  Dr.  John  Holt  Rice  offered  a  resolution  in  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  denomination  that  the 
church  of  Christ  was  by  its  very  nature  a  missionary  society, 
he  was  construed  as  making  an  unauthorized  innovation. 
The  reason  of  this  state  of  things  was  this :  The  missionary 
movement  was  begun  and  directed  by  the  Congregational 
churches  of  New  England.  The  organic  weakness  of  that 
system  compelled  the  formation  of  societies  outside  of  the 
church  to  carry  on  the  work.  The  very  terms  of  the  apos- 
tolic commission  and  charter  of  the  church  required  this  work 
to  be  carried  on  by  the  church  itself  and  not  by  any  outside 
organization  whatever.  But  the  Presbyterian  Church,  blind 
as  a  bat  to  the  fundamental  object  of  her  own  existence,  took 
up  the  work  of  missions  in  cooperation  with  these  Congrega- 
tional societies.  It  nearly  resulted  in  her  ruin.  In  the  course 
of  time  and  events,  however,  her  eyes  were  opened ;  but  when 
she  essayed  to  withdraw  from  this  anomalous  connection,  and 
go  into  the  discharge  of  her  fundamental  and  plain  duty,  she 
was  openly  resisted.  She  was  charged  with  bad  faith.  Her 
right  to  establish  her  own  missions  was  denied.  She  was 
held  bound  by  a  temporary  alliance  with  those  who  had  no 


Biographical  Sketch  of  Dk.  T.  E.  Peck.  23 

sympathy  with  her  principles,  rather  than  by  the  command 
of  her  Head.  The  extraordinary  conflict  which  ensued  ex- 
plained the  extraordinary  resolution  of  Dr.  Rice,  which  to  us 
seems  as  superfluous  as  a  formal  declaration  that  it  is  the 
business  of  a  bank  to  do  a  banking  business,  or  of  a  college 
that  it  is  designed  for  educational  purposes.  The  old  school 
of  Presbyterians,  having  opened  their  eyes,  clung  firmly  to 
the  discovered  line  of  their  duty.  They  withdrew  from  their 
anomalous  entanglement  and  commenced  their  own  work. 
But  they  were  still  in  the  dark  as  to  the  principles  which  regu- 
lated the  subject,  and  years  were  to  elapse  before  they  suc- 
ceeded in  embodying  their  creed  in  their  practice.  They 
continued  to  raise  the  funds  for  missions  by  travelling  agents. 
They  seemed  utterly  unable  to  rise  to  the  conception,  simple 
and  obtrusively  obvious  as  it  is,  that  the  revenues  could  be 
raised  under  the  pastors  and  other  oflicers  of  each  church. 
The  system  of  agencies,  however,  worked  so  badly  and  was 
fruitful  of  so  much  mischief  to  the  pastors  and  churches, 
thoughtful  men  began  to  turn  to  the  teachings  of  the  Bible, 
the  creed  and  common  sense,  and  soon  the  divinely-given 
and  distinctly  covenanted  principles  which  regulated  the  sub- 
ject began  to  emerge.  That  great  man  and  staunch  Presby- 
terian, Robert  J.  Breckenridge,  then  a  pastor  in  Baltimore, 
and  editor  of  the  Baltimore  Literary  and  Evangelical  Maga- 
zine began  to  teach  what  he  had  discovered  in  the  creed  as 
drawn  from  the  Bible.  He  found  that  the  ofiice  representing 
the  revenue  and  charitable  side  of  the  church  had  utterly 
perished  out  of  the  very  knowledge  of  the  church  that  such 
an  officer  was  a  part  of  her  organization.  Out  of  nine  hun- 
dred churches  then  under  the  General  Assembly  only  nine 
had  deacons.  It  is  now  fully  recognized  that  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  Presbyterian  church  is  as  incomplete  without  dea- 
cons as  a  human  face  is  without  a  nose.  It  is  now  recocjnized 
that  the  office  of  deacon  is  as  much,  and  even  more  distinctly, 
an  office  of  divine  appointment  as  the  office  of  ruling  elder. 


24  Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E,  Peck. 

These  principles,  though  as  truly  in  the  covenanted  creed  of 
the  church  then  as  they  are  now,  had  sunken  out  of  view ;  and 
it  is  no  wonder  that  the  church  had  lost  sight  of  the  revenue 
principles  of  the  kingdom  when  the  revenue  officers  of  the 
kinsdom  had  been  abolished.  Under  the  able  vindication  of 
Breckenridge  and  the  coadjutors  who  at  once  flocked  around 
him,  the  office  of  the  deacon  was  restored  to  the  place  the 
Lord  of  the  kingdom  had  given  it,  and  an  immense  impulse 
was  given  to  the  revenue  and  work  of  the  church.  For  all 
the  benefits  of  this  restoration,  thanks  are  due,  under  God,  to 
Robert  Breckenridge. 

But  all  was  not  yet  recognized  that  the  Bible  and  the  sol- 
emnly covenanted  standards  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  de- 
manded. The  revenue  officers  of  the  kingdom  were  found, 
but  not  the  principles  and  rules  for  raising  the  revenue. 
Under  the  discoveries  of  Breckenridge  the  travelling  agents 
were  abolished,  and  the  raising  of  the  revenue  was  recognized 
as  a  regular  part  of  the  work  of  every  organized  church 
under  the  orders  of  its  own  government  in  the  elders,  and  by 
the  executive  agency  of  its  own  financial  officers,  the  deacons. 
But  the  system  worked  under  friction ;  collections  were  looked 
upon  under  purely  business  aspects;  they  were  not  con- 
sidered as  expressions  of  religious  feelings,  or  as  having  any 
sanctifying  purpose.  The  rectifying  principle  for  all  this  in- 
competent conception  of  the  subject  had  long  ago  been  drawn 
from  the  Scriptures  and  embodied  in  the  Standards.  They 
taught  that  giving  was  a  divinely-appointed  ordinance  of 
public  worship ;  that  it  sustained  the  same  relation  to  the 
sanctification  of  the  worshipper  that,  prayer,  or  praise,  or 
sacrament  sustained ;  that  its  benefits  were  conditioned  by 
the  spirit  in  which  the  ordinance  was  used,  just  as  every 
other  ordinance  was  conditioned.  It  was  a  principle  of  ex- 
traordinary power,  and  bore  upon  personal  and  spiritual 
benefits  to  the  user  of  the  ordinance  of  great  value,  looking 
not  merely  to  the  resources  of  the  kingdom,  but  to  the  per- 


BlOGUAPHK^AL  SKETCH  OF  Dr.  T.  E.  PeCK.  25 

sonal  sanctificatioii  aucl  comfort  of  the  worshipper.  This  is 
now  the  universally  recognized  doctrine  and  practice  of  the 
church.  Yet  it  \ay  long  forgotten  iu  the  creed  which  every 
minister  and  elder  of  the  church  formally  adopts  at  their 
ordination,  and  which  the  whole  church  glories  in  calling  its 
own.  That  it  was  discovered  and  brought  out  to  exert  ^its 
vast  and  beneficent  influence,  we  trust  for  ages  to  come,  we 
owe  under  God  to  Dr.  Thomas  E.  Peck.  He  was  the  first  to 
find  it  in  the  creed  and  first  to  bring  it  back  to  the  know- 
ledge and  obedience  of  the  clun-cli.  He  did  it  in  a  paper, 
short,  but  crammed  full  of  such  irresistible  evidence  that  it 
passed  promptly  when  presented  to  the  Presbytery  of  Balti- 
more, and  began  its  march  to  the  ascendency  it  now  main- 
tains. Dr.  Peck's  titles  to  the  esteem  and  gratitude  of  the 
church  are  many ;  but  no  service  but  one — his  training  of 
the  ministry  for  several  years — rendered  by  him  compares  in 
importance  with  this. 

There  is  another  development  of  the  deacon's  office  re- 
quired by  the  plain  and  positive  demand  of  the  Standards  and 
the  word  of  God  which  remains  to  be  accomplished.  The 
financial  side  of  the  deacon's  office,  important  as  it  is,  bears 
no  proportion  to  the  importance  of  its  chief  significance. 
The  deacon's  office  represents  that  side  of  the  Christian 
church  by  which  it  confronts  the  temporal  evils  of  human 
fife.  It  is  also  our  Lord's  appointment  to  secure  the  protec- 
tion of  his  widows,  his  orphans,  and  his  dependent  poor 
within  his  kingdom.  When  it  is  advanced,  as  it  will  be 
finally,  from  its  theoretical  position  in  the  creed  to  that  prac- 
tical development  in  every  Christian  church  which  it  was  de- 
signed to  secure,  it  will  add  immeasurably  to  the  safety  of 
God's  helpless  servants,  to  the  well-being  of  the  sick  and 
friendless  stranger,  to  the  honor  of  the  church,  and  to  the 
glory  of  her  benignant  head.  It  will  extinguish  the  reproach 
on  evangelical  Protestant  Christianity  that  it  is  solely  con- 
cerned for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  mankind,  and  makes  no 


26  Biographical  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck. 

provision  for  their  temporal  wants.  It  will  strip  Rome  of  one 
of  her  boasted  superiorities  and  do  justice  to  the  kjngdom  of 
Christ.     God  speed  the  day. 

Dr.  Peck's  domestic  character  and  relations  remains  to  be 
analyzed.  In  his  family  relations  he  was  most  happy.  He 
Ava^s  reverenced  and  dearly  loved  by  all  its  members.  A  most 
affectionate  and  faithful  father,  his  children  never  once  seemed 
to  think  of  such  a  thing  as  going  contrary  to  his  wishes. 
His  sway  was  that  of  absolute  confidence  in  his  wisdom,  rec- 
titude, and  affection,  a  confidence  interpenetrated  and  col- 
ored by  the  warmest  personal  love.  The  sunnier  elements 
of  his  nature  broke  from  the  restraints  of  his  habitual  gravity 
more  freely  and  frequently  under  the  shadow  of  his  own  roof- 
tree  than  anywhere  else.  In  times  of  public  trial  and  per- 
sonal affliction,  he  was  the  calmest  and  quietest  of  men.  The 
secret  of  his  peace  was  his  deep,  unfailing  confidence  in  God. 
During  the  war,  when  the  pressure  on  the  people  at  home  for 
the  means  of  sustenance  had  become  stringent  and  universal, 
the  Avriter  of  this  sketch,  then  living  some  forty  or  forty-five 
miles  distant,  happened  to  meet  some  one  from  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Seminary  and  inquired  how  the  professors 
were  getting  on.  "Well,"  said  he,  "Dr.  Dabney  is. fighting 
the  Yankees,  Dr.  Smith  is  hunting  for  provisions,  and  Dr. 
Peck  is  trusting  in  God."  He  felt  the  calamity  involved  in 
the  overthrow  of  the  liberties  and  rights  of  self-government 
of  the  Southern  people  as  every  good  man  in  the  Confede- 
racy felt  it,  but  he  bore  it  in  silence  and  went  on  with  his 
work.  In  his  domestic  afflictions,  and  in  the  final  long  strug- 
gle with  the  disorder  that  ended  his  life,  the  same  steadiness 
and  absolute  submission  was  his  prevalent  feeling.  The 
words  were  frequently  on  his  lips,  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him 
do  what  seemeth  him  good."  His  last  hours  were  sunken  into 
insensibility,  and  he  passed  into  the  visions  of  the  eternal 
peace  without  a  sign  of  his  parting. 

A  brave  and  strong  standard-bearer  has  fallen  at  his  jjost, 


Biographical  Sketch  of  Du.  T.  E.  Peck.  27 

faithful  to  the  last.  An  example  of  fidelity  to  the  truth,  re- 
gardless of  the  judgments  of  men  and  only  mindful  of  the 
will  of  the  Master  of  Assemblies,  has  been  left  to  those  who 
come  after  him.  A  most  accomplished  advocate  and  de- 
fender of  the  faith  has  left  his  work  to  be  taken  up  b}^  an- 
other. A  noble  character  has  left  its  record  on  earth  and 
gone  to  its  reward  in  heaven.  The  tears  of  natural  gi'ief  are 
mingled  with  the  upturned  and  smiling  eyes  which  follow 
with  joyful  confidence  the  good  man's  ascent  into  the  region 
of  endless  rest. 

"  Avaunt:  to-night  ray  heart  is  light; 

No  dirge  will  I  upraise ; 
But  waft  the  saint  upon  his  flight 

With  a  p^ean  of  God's  praise. 
Let  no  bell  toll,  lest  his  glad  soul, 

Amid  its  hallowed  mirth, 
Should  catch  the  note  as  it  doth  float 

Up  from  the  accursed  earth. 
From  grief  and  groan  to  a  golden  throne 

His  favored  soul  is  riven  ; 
From  grief  and  groan  to  a  golden  throne 

Beside  tht>  King  of  Heaven." 

— From  Poe^s  Lenore  Unpaganized. 

Dr.  Peck  left  a  family  of  a  remarkable  character  in  more 
than  one  respect.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  members  of 
it  is  his  aged  mother,  who,  in  her  ninety-third  year,  survives 
lier  oldest  as  well  as  her  youngest  child.  Infirm,  but  in 
sound  health  and  with  faculties  unimpaired,  the  venerable 
saint  bears  her  bereavement  with  cheerful  trust  in  a  long- 
tried  and  trusted  Saviour.  She  waits  without  impatience  and 
with  serene  hope  her  own  summons  to  cross  the  river  of  the 
bitter  water  and  rest  in  the  shade  of  the  trees  on  the  farther 
side.  Mrs.  Peck,  the  widowed  wife  of  the  dead  soldier  of 
Christ,  bears  her  loss  with  a  serenity  of  hope  and  confidence 
not  seen  once  in  a  thousand  cases  of  similar  bereavement. 
Her  steadfast  and  brave  faith  in  the  glorious  assurances  of 
the  Christian  gospel  so  completely  overshadowed  her  perso- 


28  BioGiiAPHiCAL  Sketch  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Peck. 

nal  Joss  in  the  heart-felt  reaHzation  of  the  glory  into  which 
her  husband  had  entered  that  she  had  no  room  for  thoughts 
of  self  or  the  losses  of  her  home  and  children.  She  said  she 
was  so  taken  up  with  the  thought  of  his  delight  that  when 
the  funeral  assembly  was  called  on  to  close  the  funeral  ser- 
vice with  a  song  of  praise  to  God,  her  own  voice  mingled 
with  clear  and  decisive  expression  in  the  ascending  harmony. 
For  the  first  time  in  the  life  of  every  one  present  this  strange 
and  noble  triumph  of  faith  and  hope  was  witnessed — a  freshly 
widowed  Christian  wife  with  unfaltering  tones  praising  God 
for  his  goodness  to  her  dead. 

Dr.  Peck  leaves  three  living  daughters  out  of  the  seven 
that  were  given  him  :  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Rev.  James  Edward 
Booker,  pastor  of  the  Hebron  church,  Virginia,  in  Augusta 
county;  Ellen,  wife  of  Rev.  Alexander  Sprunt,  pastor  at  Rock 
Hill,  South  Carolina ;  and  Sophie,  wife  of  Rev.  James  R.  Gra- 
ham, Jr.,  missionary  in  China.  Several  grandchildren  give 
reasonable  assurance  that  his  blood  will  continue  to  run  in  the 
vtins  of  the  living  on  earth  for  years  to  come.  Meanwhile 
he  rests  in  the  vision  of  God,  and  will  be  fully  content  when 
his  body,  as  well  as  his  soul,  awakes  in  the  likeness  of  his. 
Lord. 


MISCELLANIES 


OF  THK   LATE 


Thomas  E.  Peck,  d.  d.,  ll.  d. 


NOTES  ON  THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 


29 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


These  "Notes,"  written  to  aid  me  in  teaching  my  classes  in  the- 
Seminary,  are  not  intended  to  cover  the  ground  covered  by  com- 
mentators The  matter  of  the  commentaries  is  generaUy  pre- 
supposed; and  these  "  Notes  ^'  have  either  been  suggested  by  my 
own  meditations  or  derived  from  books  which  are  not  commentaries 
on  the  Acts.  Bacon  {Adv.  of  Learmng,  B.  IL.  Vol.  i.,  p.  243,  of 
his  works,  American  reprint  of  Montague's  Edition),  speakmg  of 
the  exposition  of  Scripture,  expresses  a  preference  for  these  occa- 
sional expositions  which  are  found  "dispersedly  in  sermons"  and 
other  writings,  over  the  professed  and  formal  commentaries.  Thin 
is  only  another  exemplification  of  the  saying  that  we  hit  an  object 
sometimes  more  effectually  by  not  aiming  directly  at  it. 

Thos.  E.  Peck. 

Union  Theological  Seminary,  Va.,  July,  1868. 

The  above  is  the  date  at  which  the  writing  of  the  following  "Notes- 

T.  E.  Peck. 
was  begun. 


30 


NOTES 

ON    THE 

ACTS   OF   THE    APOSTLES. 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 

I. The  Function  of  the  Acts  in  the  Organism  of  the  New- 
Testament  Scriptures. 

1.  rriHE  New  Testament  is  not  a  fortuitous  or  mechanical, 
I  but  an  organized,  collection  of  writings.  An  organism 
differs  from  a  machine.  Tliey  both  have  parts  arranged  in 
certain  relations  to  each  other  and  to  the  whole,  but  they 
differ  in  the  following  particulars:  (1),  An  organism  has 
life :  vegetable,  animal,  intellectual  organisms.  The  life  of 
the  whole  is  in  every  part,  or  organ,  and  the  life  of  the  whole 
controls  the  life  in  every  part.  Illustrate  by  the  human  body.' 
(2),  An  organism  is  complete,'  that  is,  has  all  its  parts  in 
every  stage  of  its  existence.  The  acorn  contains  the  oak. 
(3),  Its  increase,  therefore,  is  growth  and  development,  not 
increase  by  accumulation  or  addition.     (4),  As  a  result  of  the 

'  A  machine  has  no  internal  principle  of  growth  and  expansion.  "  The 
living  principle  by  which  it  was  originated  is  not  in  it,  but  in  the  mind  of 
the  mechanic.  The  mind,  it  is  true,  is  a  living  thing,  a  living  soul,  but  it 
is  unable  to  breath  itself,  as  a  principle  of  growth  and  formation,  into 
its  rigid  wooden  or  metallic  product.  The  story  of  Pygmalion  and  his 
statue  is  still  a  fable."     (Shedd:    The  Philosoplii/ of  Histori/,  p.  22.) 

•'  Perfect  in  the  sense  of  perfectio  partium.  When  it  reaches  its  maturity 
it  was  the  perfectio  absoluta,  ommhns,  numeris,  tam  quoad  gradus,  quam 
quoad  partes,  intensive  et  extensive.  This  last  is  the  perfection  of  the 
canon  ;  the  first  the  perfection  of  the  particular  books. 

31 


32  Miscellanies. 

last  two,  an  organism  is  the  same  substance  throughout  all 
its  stages.  (5),  Lastly,  an  organism,  according  to  Kant's 
definition,'  is  a  "product  in  which  each  and  every  part  is, 
reciprocally,  means  and  end."  The  eye  exists  for  the  body 
and  the  body  for  the  eye. 

(1),  The  life  of  the  New  Testament  is  the  Holy  Ghost, 
taking  of  the  things  of  Christ  and  showing  them  to  men,  and 
this  life  governs  the  intei'pretation,  because  it  determines  the 
character  of  every  part.  (2),  The  New  Testament  is  com- 
plete in  every  stage.  The  whole  gospel  is  in  the  Gospels, 
the  Acts,  the  Epistles,  the  Apocalypse;  and,  indeed,  for  that 
matter,  in  Genesis  iii.  15.  (3),  There  is  a  development  and 
growth  in  the  New  Testament.  Explain  the  difference  be- 
tween the  true  notion  of  development  and  the  false  ones  of 
Bomanism  and  rationalism.  Romanism  indeed  is  rationalism 
under  the  condition  of  "traditionalism."^  Explain  also  the 
difference  between  the  development  of  revelation  (which 
ends  with  the  Apocalypse)  and  the  development  of  the  know- 
ledge of  revelation,  which  will  grow  to  the  end  of  time.  The 
development  within  the  limits  of  the  Bible  is  only  the  unfold- 
ing of  the  germ  in  Genesis  iii.  15,  and  the  Gospels  are  the 
germ  of  the  New  Testament,  and  Matthew  i.  21  may  be  con- 
sidered the  germ  of  the  Gospels.  (4),  Of  course,  therefore, 
the  same  revelation  is  found  throughout.  (5),  Each  part  of 
the  New  Testament  is  for  the  whole,  and  the  whole  for  each 
part,  and  each  part  for  every  other  part.  The  Gospels  can- 
not be  understood  fully  without  the  Acts,  nor  the  Acts  with- 
out the  Gospels,  nor  either  without  the  Epistles,  etc.^ 

2.  The  organs  of  this  organism  are  the  particular  books, 
or  the  division  of  the  books,  known  as  Gospel,  Acts,  Epistle, 

'  Shedd's  Lectures  on  the  Philosophy  of  History,  L.  1,  p.  20. 

-  See  Bernard's  Bampton  Lectures  on  ' '  The  Progress  of  Doctrine  in  the 
New  Testament,"  passim. 

^  The  Apocalj-pse  is  cast  in  an  Old  Testament  mould  throughout.  It 
ends  with  a  paradise,  as  Genesis  begins  with  it. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  op  the  Apostles.  33 

Apocalypse.  The  very  fact  that  such  a  division  and  arraur^e- 
ment  exists  is  proof  that  the  church  perceives  the  New  Tes- 
tament to  be  an  organism,  and  not  fortuitous  or  meclianical 
collection  of  writings.  However  within  these  general  divi- 
sions the  order  of  particular  books  may  vary  in  difterent 
catalogues,  manuscripts  and  versions,  the  general  divisions 
themselves  are  found  in  all." 

3.  Each  of  these  organs  has  its  own  function.  Discount- 
ing for  the  present  the  special  function  of  each,  Gospel,  Epis- 
tle, Apocalypse,  and  looking  only  at  the  general  divisions, 
we  may  say  that  the  function  of  the  Gospel  is  to  record  what 
Jesus  "hegaii  to  do  and  teach"  (Acts.  i.  1) ;  of  the  Acts,  to  re- 
cord what  he  continued  to  do  and  teach  in  the  formation  of 
his  church ;  of  the  Epistles,  to  present  the  continued  teaching 
of  Christ  for  the  edification  of  his  church ;  and  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, to  present  the  effects  and.  results  of  this  teaching  and 
doing  of  Christ  upon  the  church  considered  as  a  whole,  as 
one  body,  in  consummating  its  victory  and  perfection.^ 

4.  But  let  us  look  more  closely  at  the  special  functions  of 
the  Acts,  which  is  a  book  by  itself,  and  specially  concerns  us 
now.  This  function,  as  we  have  seen,  is  the  continuation  of 
the  doing  and  teaching  of  Christ,  in  the  gathering  and  organ- 
izing of  his  church.  (See  Acts  i.  1-4.  where  we  have  a  prota- 
sis without  an  apodosis,  the  intended  or  the  appropriate 
apodosis  being,  "  I  write  now  of  what  Jesus  continued  to  do 
and  teach  after  he  was  taken  iip,"  or  something  like  this,  as 
the  third  Gospel  (the  first  book,  npiorov  Xoyo^,  of  Luke's  his- 
tory) was  the  record  of  what  Jesus  hegan  to  do  and  to  teach 
to  prepare  the  way,  to  lay  the  foundation,  for  the  building 
of  his  church.^  And  here  there  are  two  points  to  be  observed : 
that  the  teacher  is  the  same,  and  that  the  method  is  changed. 

(1),  The  teacher  is  the  same. 

'  See  Bernard's  Lectures,  I.,  note  1. 

'  See  Bernard's  summing  up  at  the  close  of  last  lecture. 

^  Bernard,  Lecture  IV. 


34  Miscellanies. 

16  Argue  from  John  xiv.  16-18,  25,  26:  And  I  will  pra^^  the 
Father,  and  he  shall  give  j'ou  another  Comforter,  that  he  may 

17  be  with  you  for  ever;  even  the  Spirit  of  truth:  whom  the  world 
cannot  receive;  for  it  beholdeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him: 
ye  know  him;  for  he  abideth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you  .  .  . 

25  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  while  yet  abiding  with 

26  you.  But  the  Comforter,  even  the  Holy  Spirit,  whom  the 
Father  will  send  in  my  name,  he  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and 
bring  to  your  remembrance  all  that  I  said  unto  you. 

26  John  XV.  26 :  But  when  the  Comforter  is  come,  whom  I  will 
send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  which 
proceedeth  from  the  Father,  he  shall  bear  witness  of  me. 

7  John  xvi.  7-15:  Nevertheless  I  tell  you  the  truth;  It  is  ex- 
pedient for  you  that  I  go  away:  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the  Com- 
forter will  not  come  unto  you;  but  if  I  go,  I  will  send  liim  unto 

8  you.     And  he,  when  he  is  come,  will  convict  the  world  in  respect 

9  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment:  of  sin  because 

10  they  believe  not  on  me ;  of  righteousness,  because  I  go  to  the 

11  Father,  and  ye  behold  me  no  more ;  of  judgment,  because  the 

12  prince  of  this  world  hath  been  judged.     I  have  yet  many  thiugs 

13  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now.  Howbeit  when 
he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he  shall  guide  you  into  all  the 
truth:  for  he  shall  not  speak  from  himself;  but  what  things 
soever  he  shall  hear,  these  shall  he  speak:  and  he  shall  declare 

14  unto  you  the  things  that  are  to  come.     He  shall  glorify  me :  for 

15  he  shall  take  of  mine,  and  shall  declare  it  unto  you.  AH  things 
whatsoever  the  Father  hath  are  mine :  therefore  said  I,  that  he 
taketh  of  mine,  and  shall  declare  it  unto  you. 

2  Argue  from  these,  compared  with  Acts  i.  2,  24,  25 :  Until 
the  day  in  which  he  was  received  up,  after  that  he  had  given 
commandment  thi'ough  the  Holy  Ghost  unto  the  apostles  whom 

24  he  had  chosen And  they  jjrayed,  and  said,  Thou,  Lord, 

which  knowest  the  hearts  of  all  men,  show  of  these  two  the  one 

25  whom  thou  hast  chosen,  to  take  the  place  in  this  ministry  and 
apostleshijD,  from  which  Judas  fell  away  that  he  might  go  to 
his  own  place. 

33  Acts  ii.  33 :  Being  therefore  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted, 
and  having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  he  hath  poured  forth  this  which  ye  see  and  hear. 

16  Acts  iii.  IG:  And  by  faith  iu  his  name  hath  his  name  made 
this  man  strong,  whom  ye  behold  and  know :  yea,  the  faith 
which  is  through  him  hath  given  him  this  perfect  soundness  in 
the  presence  of  you  all. 

10  Acts  ix.  10,  23-30 :  Now  there  was  a  certain  disciple  at 
Damascus  named  Ananias ;    and  the  Lord  said  unto  him  in  a 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  35 

vision,  Ananias      And  be  said,  Behold,  I  am  here,  Lord 

And  when  many  days  were  fulfilled,  the  Jews  took  counsel  to-  23 
gether  to  kill  him  :  but  their  plot  became  known  to  Saul.     And  24 
they  watched  the  gates  also  day  and  night  that  they  might  kill 
him :    but  his  disciples  took  him  by  night,  and  let  him  down  25 
through  the  wall,  lowering  him  in  a  basket. 

And  when  he  was  come  to  Jerusalem,  he  essayed  to  join  him-  26 
self  to  the  disciples  :  and  they  were  all  afraid  of  him,  not  be- 
lieving that  he  was  a  disciple.     But  Barnabas  took  him,  and  27 
brought  him  to  the  apostles,  and  declared  unto  them  how  he 
had  seen  the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  that  he  had  spoken  to  him, 
and  how  at  Damascus  he  had  preached  boldly  in  the  name  of 
Jesus.     And  he  was  with  them  going  in  and  going  out  at  Jeru-  28 
salem,  preaching  boldly  in  the  name  of  the  Lord:  and  he  spake  29 
and  disputed  against  the  Grecian  Jews;  but  they  went  about 
to  kill  him      And  when  the  brethren  knew  it,  they  brought  him  30 
down  to  Caesarea,  and  sent  him  forth  to  Tarsus. 

Also,  from  the  record  of  Stephen's  martyrdom,  especially 
his  vision  of  the  "Son  of  man";  from  Philip's  preaching  to 
the  eunuch,  Peter's  preaching  to  Cornehus,  and,  above  all, 
from  tlie  calling,  training  and  whole  history  of  Paul,  the 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles  and  the  theologian,  of  the  church. 
The  movements  of  the  apostles  were  directed  by  Christ,  and 
this  fact,  combined  with  the  promises  quoted  in  reference  to 
the  Holy  Ghost,  show  that  their  teaching  was  his.  Christ 
taught  them  by  the  Holy  Ghost  before  he  left  them  (Matt. 
xii.  23-32;  John  iii.  34;  Acts  i.  2),  and  he  continued  to  teach 
them  by  the  Holy  Ghost  after  his  ascension,  (Acts  ii.  33 ; 
Rom.  ix.  1 ;  Gal.  i.  11,  12 ;  1  Cor.  ii.  16  compared  with  verses 
10-15  preceding;  Piev.  i.  10-20;  et  vmlt  al.)  "I  will  send 
you  the  Comforter"  is  equivalent  to  "I  will  come  to  you." 
(See  John  xiv.  16-18.)  The  authority  of  the  apostles'  teach- 
ing is,  therefore,  the  same  as  that  of  Jesus.  "  Such  an  infer- 
ence," says  Bernard,'  "would  be  reasonable  if  we  regarded 
the  teaching  as  simply  an  accompaniment  of  the  acting. 
Such  an  inference  is  inevitable  when  we  see  that  the  deliver- 
ing of  the  truth  to  the  world  is  the  one  end  and  ohject  of  what 

'Bernard,  Lecture  IV.,  p.  97. 


36  Miscellanies. 

is  done."  For  then'  the  facts  recorded  in  the  Acts  are  not 
only  a  pledge  of  the  divine  authority  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
Epistles,  but  are  also  the  means  through  which  that  doctrine 
is  perfected.  There  is  a  "progress  of  doctrine"  within  the 
limits  of  the  "Acts"  itself. 

(2,)  But  the  method  is  changed.  Let  us  see  in  what 
respects:  (a),  Not  in  divorcing  teaching  from  doing.^  God 
teaches  men  by  dealing  with  them.  A  Christian  man  once 
said  that  he  never  knew  the  meaning  of  the  words,  "Like  as 
a  father  pitieth  his  children,  etc.  (Psa.  ciii.),  until  he  saw  one 
of  his  own  children  suffering.  We  all  know  the  advantage  of 
"  Christian  experience  "  to  an  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures. 
A  young  Apollos  who  has  not  seen  war  may  often  receive  in- 
struction from  an  elderly  Priscilla  who  has.  She  knows 
nothing,  perhaps,  of  Hebrew,  theology,  history,  etc. ;  but  she 
knows  "the  way  of  God  more  perfectly."  Christianity  in 
Christ  is  first  life,  then  doctrine.  In  Christians,  first  doctrine, 
then  life.  In  them  doctrine  comes  first,  because  it  is  through 
doctrine  that  life  is  communicated. 

18       James  i.  18 :  Of  his  own  will  he  brought  us  forth  by  the  word  of 

truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind  of  firstfruits  of  his  creatures. 
23      1  Peter  i.  23:  Having  been  begotten  again,  not  of  corruptible 

seed,   but  of  incorruptible,   through  the  word   of  God,  which 

liveth  and  abideth. 
17       Rom.  vi.  17:   But  thanks  be  to  God,  that  whereas  ye  were  the 

servants  of  sin,  ye  became  obedient  from  the  heart  to  that  form 

of  teaching  whereunto  ye  were  delivered. 

14  Rom.  X.  14-17:  How  then  shall  they  call  ou  him  in  whom 
they  have  not  believed  ?  and  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom 
they  have  not  heard  ?  and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher? 

15  and  how  shall  they  preach,  except  they  be  sent?  even  as  it  is 


'Bernard,  Lecture  lY.,  p.  98. 

- ''  Truth  in  religion  is  always  something  that  has  been  acted  and  trans- 
acted and  that  has  been  embodied  in  persons  and  societies.  Hence,  ex- 
ample more  than  precept,  biography  more  than  abstract  doctrine,  are  made 
to  convey  to  us  in  the  Scriptures  the  various  elements  of  piety." — Taylor^» 
Ancient  Chrintio.nity,  p.  25. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  37 

written,   How  beautiful  are  the   feet  of   them  that  bring'  glad 
tidings  of  good  things ! 

But  they  did  not  all  hearken  to  the  glad  tidings.  For  Isaiah  16 
saith,  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  report?  So  belief  coraetli  17 
of  hearing  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  Christ. 

1  Peter  ii.  2 :  As  newborn  babes,  long  for  the  spiritual  milk    2 
which  is  without  guile,  that  ye  may  gi'ow  thereby  unto  salva- 
tion. 

Col.  iii.  16  :  Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  yovi  richly  in  all  16 
wisdom :  teaching  and  admonishing  one  another  with  psalms 
and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts 
unto  God.     {Et  al.  mult.) 

Now  the  Saviour's  teaching  was,  in  the  main,  an  exposition 
of  something  done,  either  delivered  upon  occasion  of  some 
occurrence  iu  liis  own  life,  or  an  exposition  of  what  is  habit- 
ually done.  Of  the  first,  Matthew  xii.  1-7  is  an  example ;  of 
the  second,  most  of  the  parables.  Then  his  miracles  are 
parables  in  act  setting  forth  as  ar^tieca  the  nature  of  his  work ; 
that  it  is  a  work  of  poiver,  dovaiMZ,  a  work  of  tnercy,  a  work 
of  ilhiviiriation,  a  work  of  healing,  a  work  of  restoration  to 
life,  etc.  But  the  greatest  of  all  his  works  were  his  death 
and  resurrection.  These  ivere  his  inorks.  (John  x.  17,  18.) 
He  offered  himself  a  sacrifice ;  was  as  active  in  his  death  as 
he  ever  was,  as  he  was  in  raising  Lazarus,  and  he  rose  by 
his  own  power.  (Rom.  i.  4.)  Now  those  works  of  his  could 
not  be  explained  until  after  they  had  been  performed.  There- 
fore he  says  to  his  disciples,  "What  I  do,  ye  know  not  now, 
but  ye  shall  know  hereafter."  (John  xiii.  7.)  What  a  flood 
of  light  was  thrown  iipon  this  transaction  (John  xiii.  1-17, 
the  washing  of  the  disciples'  feet)  by  his  death !  Again  he 
says  (John  xvi.  12):  "I  have  many  things  to  say  unto  you, 
but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now,"  and  they  could  not  bear  them, 
because  they  could  not  bear  to  hear  of  his  death.  (Matt.  xvi. 
21,  22.)  The  announcement  could  of  course  be  made  and  was 
made ;  but  the  apprehensions  it  was  suited  to  make  in  the 
minds  of  the  disciples  were  not  made  and  could  not  be  made 
until  the  Comforter  should  come  and  take  up  his  abode  in 


38  MlSCEI,LANIES. 

them  as  "the  Spirit  of  the  Truth."  Hence  (J)/  The  change 
in  the  method  consisted  in  no  longer  declaring  what  view  the 
disciples  ought  to  take  of  the  doings  of  their  Lord,  and  what 
their  faith  and  feeling  ought  to  be  concerning  it ;  but  it  con- 
sisted in  voices  from  the  disciples  themselves  expressing  the 
view  which  they  did  take  and  the  faith  and  fulness  which 
were  actually  in  their  hearts.'  Hence  the  revelations  of  the 
Acts  (and  of  the  Epistles)  are  not  revelations  ah  extra,  but 
the  actual  results,  under  the  teachings  of  the  indwelling  Com- 
forter, of  the  manifestation  of  Christ  in  human  hearts.  "We 
beheve,  and  therefore  speak."  "We  cannot  but  speak  the 
things  we  have  seen  and  heard."  First  Ti^popoipla,  then 
-aofjY^aia.  It  is  "a  divine  announcement  changed  into  a 
human  experience."  Such  was  the  method  of  teaching  which 
resulted  from  the  divine  action  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
fused  into  one  the  thoughts  of  God  and  the  thoughts  of  man. 
Note  here,*  that  while  all  the  disciples  received  this  experi- 
ence, the  apostles  alone  were  commissioned  authoritatively 
to  expound  it.  (See  Eph.  ii.  20.)  "The  same  view  of  salva- 
tion that  gladdened  the  soul  of  Paul  might  gladden  the  soul 
of  one  of  his  hearers,  as  it  now  gladdens  ours  as  we  read  his 
words.  For  both  there  is  the  same  Spirit  and  the  same  testi- 
mony ;  but  the  Spirit  is  given  to  one  that  he  may  originate 
that  testimony ;  to  the  other,  that  he  may  receive  it.  There 
is  a  difference  between  being  builded  into  the  holy  temple, 
and  being  constituted  a  foundation.  In  this  last  by  their 
inspiration  as  teachers  they  share  with  the  Lord  alone ;  in 
their   inspiration    as    believers   they    share   with    the   whole 

church." 

This  method  of  teaching  was  an  advance  v  pon  that  of  the 
Gospels.  The  apostles  now  differed  from  their  former  selves 
as  the  man  who  has  imbibed  sound  principles  and  formed 

'Bernard,  Lecture  IV.,  p.  113. 

^Compare  the  Psalms  with  the  writings  of  the  other  prophets. 

3  Bernard,  Lecture  IV.,  p.  116. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  'Sd 

good  habits  under  instruction  differs  from  the  boy  who  is 
just  beginning  school.  It  was  "expedient"  for  the  apostles 
that  their  Master  should  withdraw  his  bodily  presence.' 

(a).  The  first  and  most  important  function  of  the  Acts  is 
to  place  in  the  clearest  light  the  divine  authority  of  the  doc- 
trine preached  by  the  apostles  as  the  agents  of  Jesus  Christ. 

(/9),  The  second  is  that  it  represents  the  general  character 
of  the  doctrine  delivered  by  the  apostles  to  the  world.  The 
general  character  of  the  doctrine  is  summed  up  in  Acts  v.  42 : 
"They  ceased  not  teaching  and  declaring  the  glad  tidings  of 
Jesus  the  Christ."  The  like  expressions  often  occur  in  this 
book.*  Now,  no  such  announcements  as  this  are  found  in  the 
Gospels.  The  preaching  there  is  not  of  the  person,  but  of 
the  "kingdomr  (See  Luke  ix.  2;  Matt.  iv.  23,  et  al.)  And 
as  to  his  person,  see  Matt.  xvi.  20 ;  xvii.  9.  This  reticence 
about  his  person  may  account  for  the  perplexity  of  the  Bap- 
tist. (Matt.  xi.  2.)  Compare  John  x.  24;  Mark  xiv.  61; 
compare  also  the  first  Gospel  with  the  fourth  to  see  that 
the  tendency  from  the  kingdom  to  the  person  of  the  King 
had  already  manifested  itself.  The  two  are  often  united  in 
the  Acts.  (See  viii.  12 ;  xxviii.  23,  31.  Compare  this  sum- 
mary of  the  teaching  at  the  end  of  the  book  with  the  sum- 
mary of  the  last  teaching  of  Jesus  at  the  beginning.)  The 
preaching  of  the  kingdom  and  the  preaching  of  Christ  are 
one.  In  the  conjunction  of  these  words  the  progress  of  doc- 
trine appears.  The  Jewish  expectation  of  a  "kingdom  of 
God"  is  fulfilled  in  the  person  of  Jesus.  The  account  of  its 
realization  consists  in  the  unfolding  of  the  truth  concerning 
him.  The  manifestation  of  Christ  being  finished,  the  king- 
dom is  already  begun.     Those  who  receive  hi7n  enter  into  it. 

This  accounts,  perhaps,  for  the  greater  effectiveness  of  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles,  as  compared  with  that  seen  in  the 
Gospels.     (See  John  xvi.  14.)     "  He  shah  glorify  wg." 

'See  Hare's  Mission  of  the  Comforter,  Sermon  I. 
''See  Bernard,  Lecture  V.,  p.  124. 


40  Miscellanies. 

But  what  was  this  preaching  of  Christ?  It  was  the  pro- 
clamation of  the  true  nature  of  his  Messiahship,  as  appear- 
ing in  his  death,  his  resurrection,  and  his  exaltation  in 
heaven,  and  all  this  in  opposition  to  the  carnal  expectations 
of  the  Jews.  And  no  less  did  these  facts  declare  the  spiritual 
conaeqaences  of  his  manifestation,  since  they  carried  with 
them  the  implication  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body,  and  the  life  everlasting.  These  are  the 
topics  upon  which  the  preachers  in  the  Acts  insist,  specially 
the  first  two.  Note  that  the  preaching  in  the  Acts  is  to  the 
world  without,  not  to  the  church  within.  If  we  except  the 
debate  in  the  council  of  Jerusalem  (chap,  xv.),  and  the  charge 
to  the  elders  at  Miletus  (chap,  xx.),  all  the  discourses  reported 
in  this  book  are  addressed  to  those  who  are  not  yet  Christiaris. 
The  preaching  which  was  done  to  the  church  is  given  in 
the  Epistles. 

The  difference  between  the  teaching  of  the  Acts  and  that 
of  the  Gospels  has  been  illustrated  by  the  difference  between 
the  evidence  in  a  judicial  trial  and  the  '■'■summing  up"  of  the 
judge.  .The  latter  is  an  advance  upon  the  former,  inasmuch 
as  it  adds  to  the  rehearsal  of  the  evidence  the  selection  of 
its  critical  points,  the  representation  of  their  force  and  bear- 
ing, and  the  intimation  of  the  conclusions  to  which  they 
lead.^  Here  note  the  absurdity  of  those  who  set  the  "  theory  " 
against  the  "facts"  of  redemption.  The  very  design  of  the 
apostolic  exposition  is  to  give  us  the  theory,  without  which 
the  facts  are  of  no  use. 

Illustrate :  See  my  introduction  on  Church  History." 

{y),  The  third  function  of  the  Acts  is  to  lay  down  the 
course  of  external  events  through  which  the  doctrine  was. 
matured.  We  find  the  mature  doctrine  in  the  Epistles,  and 
the  Acts  is  the  bridge  from  the  Gospels  to  the  Epistles,  in  two 
senses,  an  external  and  an  internal.     Take  the  inscriptions 

-Bernard,  Lecture  V.,  p.  134. 

•^Thismay  be  found  in  Vol.  II.  of  these  Miscellanies,  pp.  114.  115.- -Ed. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  oi'^  the  Apostles.  41 

or  superscriptions  to  ;iuj  of  the  epistles ;  how  perplexing 
they  would  be  without  the  information  of  the  Acts.  Who  is 
this  Paul?  How  became  he  an  apostle?  How  came  the 
gospel  to  Rome  ?  Corinth  ?  Galatia  ?  etc.  As  for  James, 
John,  Peter,  Jude,  when  we  saw  them  last,  they  were  in  par- 
tial ignorance  and  error.  How  are  we  to  know  what  value  to 
put  upon  their  words  now  f  This  is  the  external  connection. 
Now,  as  to  the  internal,'note  that  the  doctrine  was  not  only 
spreading,  but  it  was  clearing  and  forming  itself  under  the 
hand  of  its  divine  author ;  clearing  itself  of  the  false  element 
which  the  existing  Judaism  would  have  infused  into  it,  and 
forming  itself  of  the  true  elements  which  the  old  covenant 
had  been  intended  to  prepare  for  its  use. 

Two  great  principles  were  fought  for  and  secured :  (a), 
The  gospel  does  that  which  the  law  had  been  supposed  to 
do,  but  could  not  do.  (J),  The  gospel  is  the  heir  of  the  law. 
Of  these  in  their  order  {a),  The  gospel  provides  for  indi\ddual 
souls  the  means  of  justification  and  the  title  to  eternal  life. 
It  was  in  the  arguments  of  Stephen,  and  afterwards  in  the 
preaching  of  Paul,  that  this  feature  of  the  Christian  system 
made  itself  felt  in  its  bearing  on  the  great  Jewish  error  of 
justification  by  the  law. 

(h),  The  gospel  is  the  heir  of  the  law  in  the  sense  that  the 
vast  system  of  ideas,  such  as  an  elect  nation,  a  miraculous 
history,  a  special  covenant,  a  worldly  sanctuary,  a  perpetual 
service,  a  scheme  of  sacrifice,  a  purchased  possession,  a  holy 
city,  a  throne  of  David,  a  destiny  of  dominion,  which  was 
exhibited  in  the  law  in  the  forms  according  to  the  flesh,  died 
with  Christ,  and  with  Christ  it  rose  again  a  body  of  antitype' 
according  to  the  spirit.  That  which  under  the  law  had  been 
"sown  in  weakness"  was  now  under  the  gospel  "raised  in 
power";  that  which  had  been  sown  a  "natural  body"  was 
now  raised  a  "spiritual  body."  Still,  the  Old  Testament 
Scriptures  were  not  antiquated;  nay,  belonged  more  truly 
to  the  New  Testament  church  than  to  the  old,  for  they  were 


42  Miscellanies. 

BOW  raised  to  newness  of  life  and  recognized  as  having  been 
written  less  for  the  immediate  than  for  the  ulterior  purposes. 
(1  Pet.  i.  12.)  Paul  was  the  apostle  of  the  spirit  of  liberty, 
and  jet,  as  Baumgarten  has  said,'  "no  other  apostle  has  laid 
such  stress  upon  the  Holy  Scriptures," 

The  first  of  the  above-named  principles  was  wrought  out 
in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans ;  the  second  in  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews.  It  is  in  the  Epistles  that  we  behold  this  formed 
and  expanded  doctrine.  In  the  Acts  we  see  the  providential 
illumination  through  which  the  result  was  obtained.  "The 
process  through  which  great  principles  are  wrought  out  and 
settled  in  men's  minds  (by  persons  raised  up  to  represent 
them,  by  consultations,  reasonings,  debates  concerning  them, 
by  events  which  compel  their  more  distinct  assertion  and  test 
their  hidden  strength,  and  by  the  action  of  opposing  princi- 
ples firmly  resisted  in  their  fierce  assaults,  or  instinctively 
rejected  in  their  subtle  approaches)  is  here  represented  to 
us  as  carried  on  under  the  manifested  guidance  of  the  Lord 
himself,  who  by  special  interventions  raises  up  the  persons, 
guides  the  events,  and  certifies  the  issue  with  his  own  signa- 
ture and  seal."  ^ 

11. — The  Plan  of  the  Acts. 
On  the  plan  of  this  composition  see  Alexander's  Introduc- 
tion ;  Baumgarten's  Apostolic  History,  section  1 ;  Bernard's 
Bampton  Lecture  Y.,  Exordium. 

'  Apostolic  History,  Vol.  III. ,  p.  78.     T.  &  T.  Clark's  translation. 
'Bernard,  Lecture  V.,  p.  145. 


EXPOSITORY  REMARKS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

III.  The  Prospect.     (Verses  1-11.) 

The  former  treatise  I   made,  O  Theophilus,  concerning  all    1 
that  Jesus  began  both  to  do  and  to  teach,  until  the  day  in  '\/hich 
he  was  received  up,  after  that  he  had  given   commandment    2 
through  the  Holy  Ghost  unto  the  apostles  whom  he  had  chosen  : 
to  whom  he  also  shewed  himself  alive  after  his  passion  by  many    3 
proofs,  appearing  unto  them  by  the  space  of  forty  days,  and 
speaking  the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God  :  and,  be-    4 
ing  assembled  together  with  them,  he  charged  them  not  to  de- 
part from  Jerusalem,  but  to  wait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father, 
which,  said  he,  ye  heard  from  me:   for  John  indeed  baptized    5 
with  water ;  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  not 
many  days  hence. 

They  therefore,  when  they  were  come  together,  asked  him,     6 
saying.  Lord,  dost  thou  at  this  time  restore  the  kingdom  to 
Israel?     And  he  said  unto  them,    It  is  not  for  you  to  know    7 
times  or  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  set  within  his  own 
authority.     But  ye  shall  receive  power,  when  the  Holy  Ghost    8 
is  come  upon  you :  and  ye  shall  be  my  witnesses  both  in  Jeru- 
salem, and  in  all  Judpea  and  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost 
part  of  the  earth.     And  when  he  had  said  these  things,  as  they    9 
were  looking,  he  was  taken  up ;  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of 
their  sight.     And  while  they  were  looking  stedfastly  into  heaven  10 
as  he  went,  behold,  two  men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel ; 
which  also  said.  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  looking  into  11 
heaven  ?  this  Jesus,  which  was  received  up  from  you  into  heaven, 
shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  beheld  him  going  into 
heaven 

Vs.  1.   See  introduction  on  the  function  of  the  book. 

Vs.  2.  '"^Having  charged  thevi  through  the  Holy  Ghud." 
Either  according  to  John  iii.  34,  or  according  to  John  xx.  22,' 
or  both  (compare  for  a  similar  zeugma  in  sense,  Acts  ii.  33, 

'  An  earnest  of  Pentecost.      (Bengel.) 
43 


44  Miscellanies. 

where  the  dative  os^cd  may  express  either  the  instrument  or 
the  place  of  exaltation).  The  special 'reference  is  probably 
to  the  influence  Christ  bestowed  rather  than  that  which  he 
received.  If  "through  the  Holy  Ghost "  be  connected  with 
"  chose"  also  (by  another  kind  of  zeugma),  then  the  reference 
might  be  to  both  sorts  of  influence.  The  "  choosing  "  implies 
a  calling.     (John  xv.  16  ;  compare  vs.  5.) 

"Vs.  3.  ^' dTTzavoiisvo:;"  '^ appearing T  Christ's  resurrection 
body  seems  to  have  been  visible  or  invisible  according  to  his 
will.     (See  John  xx.  19-26 ;  Luke  xxiv.  31,  36 ;  comp.  vs.  16.) 

''lEyiov  X.  T.  ;."  (See  pp.  39,  40.)  What  is  the  "kingdom 
of  God"?  It  is  the  dominion  of  God,  his  reign  in  the  soul 
by  his  law  written  upon  the  heart ;  his  reign  in  that  com- 
munity of  souls  which  is  called  the  church ;  his  reign  in  the 
souls  of  all  men  in  the  end,  except  those  in  hell.  The  king- 
dom of  God  is  opposed  to  the  kingdom  of  the  devil,  and  to 
the  kingdom  of  man  undertaking  to  reign  without  God,  and 
to  the  kingdom  of  man,  who,  as  a  civil  magistrate  and  sword- 
bearer,  can  only  restrain  evil-doers  and  protect  those  who  do 
w^ell  by  force.  We  see  its  beginning  in  Genesis  iii.  15  in 
opposition  to  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  and  the  beastly  nature 
of  fallen  man  (now  become  the  image  of  the  devil).  Here  it 
is  the  kingdom  of  God  in  man,  or  in  the  woman's  seed  ;  the 
kingdom  of  man  in  God  or  God  in  man  in  opposition  to  the 
kingdom  of  man  without  God  or  against  God.  We  see  it 
again  in  the  family  of  Abraham :  in  Israel  after  the  flesh 
(theocracy),  especially  in  the  typical  kingdoms  of  David  and 
Solomon.  Again  in  opposition  to  the  kingdom  of  the  beasts 
in   Daniel,  as  the  kingdom  of  the   "Son  of  man."'     Then 

'  It  is  characteristic  of  the  teaching  of  the  Old  Testament  that  it  be- 
comes more  and  more  spiritual  and  personal,  as  it  advances,  concerning 
this  kingdom.  Compare  Deuteronomy  with  Exodus  (both  in  "  tlie  law"), 
then  the  prophets  with  the  law,  then  .John  the  Baptist  with  the  prophets 
who  went  before  him,  then  Christ  with  him,  then  the  apostles  with  Christ. 
This  is  a  crushing  argument  against  Rome,  and  is  urged  with  great  force 
by  Litton  in  his  Church  of  Christ,  Part  I.,  Chapters  i.  and  ii. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  45 

again  in  Revelation  in  opposition  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
beast,  and  finally  prevailing  and  absorbing  the  kingdom  of 
the  world  (the  sovereignty  of  the  world  which  had  lasted  for 
centuries  becoming  the  sovereignty  of  our  Lord  and  of  his 
Christ)  in  Rev.  xi.  15.  The  kingdom  of  God,  therefore,  is  the 
theocracy  (the  only  kind  of  government  which  would  have 
existed  in  the  world  if  man  had  not  apostatized  from  his 
Maker) ;  sometimes  the  theocracy  in  its  laws  and  princi])les 
oi  administration;  sometimes,  in  its  per.so7inel,  when  it  is 
equivalent  to  church'  (during  the  present  militant  condition 
of  the  kingdom) ;  sometimes  as  to  its  internal  growth ;  some- 
times as  to  its  external  growth  ;  sometimes  in  its  militant, 
sometimes  in  its  triumphant,  state ;  but  the  fundamental  idea 
always  is  that  of  a  theocracy,  of  a  government  of  God  which 
is  consented  to  (either  in  reality  or  pretence)  by  man ;  and 
always  a  government  of  God  administered  by  man ;  and  in 
the  New  Testament  (when  the  incarnation  has  become  plainly 
revealed)  by  the  God-man,  the  "Son  of  man"  (the  special 
sense  of  which  phrase  is  "the  King"  and  "Head  of  the 
kingdom");  hence  the  association  in  the  Gospels  of  the 
"kingdom  of  God"  or  "heaven"  with  the  "Son  of  man."' 

Here,  I  suppose,  "kingdom  of  God"  is  the  theocracy  in 
the  widest  sense,  with  special  reference  to  those  aspects  and 
phases  of  the  kingdom  which  we  find  in  the  Acts  and  epistles, 
because  the  gathering,  organizing  and  edification  of  the 
church  were  the  things  which  the  apostles  were  at  this  time 

'  The  kingdom  is  not  identical  with  the  church  in  all  respects,  but  is 
wider.  Its  greater  extension,  however,  will  not  appear  until  the  kingdom 
of  the  world  is  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.  (Rev. 
ii.  15.)  The  kingdom  will  then  bear  to  the  church  (perhaps)  the  relation 
which  the  civil  state  in  the  Jewish  nation  bore  to  the  church,  or  which  the 
civil  power  bore  to  the  Church  of  Rome  in  the  Middle  Ages.  The  devil,  in 
that  age,  forged  an  imitation  of  the  true  theocracy.  (See  some  interesting 
hints  in  Baumgnrtev? a  Apostolic  Histm-y,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  424 ff,  and  Vol.  II..  pp. 
335  ff. 

-This  explains  the  occurrence  of  the  phrase,  "Son  of  man,"  in  Acts  vii. 
56  and  Rev.  1.  13. 


46  Miscellanies. 

most  concerned  to  know.  It  is  to  be  observed,  however^ 
that  the  person  of  the  King  is  still  kept  in  the  back-ground. 
The  reasons  for  this  have  been  suggested  in  the  introduction 
on  the  function  of  the  Acts.  This  kingdom  of  God  is  founded 
in  the  death  and  resurrection  of  the  King.  (Compare  Gen. 
iii.  15,  the  bruising  the  head  of  the  woman's  seed  is  the 
means  of  bruising  the  serpent's  head.)  This  death  and  re- 
surrection is  the  only  channel  through  which  the  Spirit  comes 
—that  Spirit  by  whom  faith  and  repentance  (the  only  quali- 
fications of  membership  in  the  kingdom)  becomes  possible  to 
man.  Hence,  the  preaching  of  the  kingdom  is  the  preaching 
of  Christ  on  the  one  hand,  and  of  faith  and  repentance  on 
the  other.     (Compare  Acts  xx.  21  with  25.) 

Vs.  4.  "  The  promise  of  the  Father T""  So  called,  according 
to  Baumgarten,  because  the  Father  is  the  governor  of  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world ;  and  this  gift  was  an  assurance  that 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world  should  become  the  kingdoms  of 
the  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  or,  in  other  words,  that  the  king- 
dom should  be  "restored  to  Israel,"  not  in  the  sense  in  which 
the  apostles  at  that  time  understood  it,  perhaps ;  but  in  the 
sense  of  the  promise  (Gen.  iii.  15),  and  the  promise  to  Abra- 
ham, that  the  seed  of  God,  "  Jezreel,"  the  true  Israel  trans- 
formed by  the  Spirit,  should  possess  it.  It  was  further 
intimated  that  this  grand  result  should  not  take  place  imme- 
diately, but  gradually  by  times  and  epochs  (vs.  6),  according 
to  the  will  and  purpose  of  the  Father.  But  the  final  result 
was  certain;  the  government  of  the  world  should  become  a 
theocracy.  (Rev.  xi.  15.)  Here  note,  that  the  Church  of 
Rome,  which  derives  its  power,  in  so  great  degree,  from  coun- 
terfeiting the  truth  (see  Owen's  Sermon  on  "the  Chambers  of 
Imagery  in  the  Church  of  Rome"),  has  attempted,  specially 
in  the  Middle  Ages,  to  realize  this  theocracy  and  the  predic- 
tion in  Rev.  ii.  15,  with  an  utter  disregard :  1,  Of  the  "  times 

'  Also  sent  by  Christ.     (See  Luke  xxiv.  49. ) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  47 

and  epochs"  of  the  Father  and  of  the  conditions  by  which 
the  theocracy  is  to  be  established,  faith,  repentance,  suffering, 
patience,  etc.  In  other  words,  it  fell  into  the  snare  of  the 
devil,  which  the  Saviour  escaped  (Matt.  iv.  8-10)  and  into 
which  Peter  fell  (Matt.  xvi.  21-23),  of  seeking  the  dominion 
of  the  world  without  snjfering.  Truly  Eome  resembles  her 
pretended  founder,  in  his  weaknesses  and  sins. 

Ys.  5.  [ia-zcoOr^freaOe.  This  word  when  used  of  a  religious 
rite,  means  to  "purify,"^  without  reference  to  any  mode,  or 
any  element.  See  John  iii.  25,  26 ;  Heb.  ix.  10,  where  the 
divers  baptisms  are  purifications  either  by  water  or  blood, 
either  by  dipping  or  sprinkling.  Hence,  the  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  represented  sometimes  as  a  baptism  by  water, 
sometimes  as  a  baptism  hj  Jire,  because  fire  and  water  are 
the  chief  purifying  elements  used  among  men.  Acts  ii.  1  is 
the  fulfilment  of  this  saying  of  John :  The  baptism  of  fire,  on 
Pentecost,  which  fitted  the  apostles  for  their  work,  was  not 
only  a  quickening,  but  a  purifying  baptism.  Compare  the 
striking  parallel  in  Isaiah  vi.  6,  7."  The  apostle,  the  prophet, 
the  preacher  (compare  Gal.  i.  15,  16),  need  not  only  light  but 
holiness  to  fit  them  for  their  work.  Compare  the  character 
of  Peter  as  presented  in  Matthew  xvi.  21,  22 ;  xxvi.  69-75  with 
his  character  after  Pentecost,  Acts  iv.  10,  19,  20 ;  v.  29,  and 
we  see  how  he  had  been  purified  as  well  as  enlightened. 
Indeed,  as  inspiration  is  dynamic  and  not  mechanical  (for 
the  most  part),  as  the  truths  of  revelation  are  conveyed  to  us 
by  means  of  men  who  are  convinced  of  their  truth  and  feel 
their  power,  by  men  in  whom  the  divine  annoiihcement  has 
become  a  personal  experience,  it  could  not  be  otherwise. 
"We  beheve,  and  therefore  speak."  The  tongue  of  fire  was 
the  organ  of  a  heart  purified  by  fire.     (See  Luke  vi.  45.) 

'  See  Baptism :  Its  Import  and  Mode,  by  Edward  Beecher,  a  valuable 
work  to  come  from  a  Beecher  source. 

9  The  sacred  fire  upon  the  altar  performed  the  office  of  dissolving  from 
the  bonds  of  this  world  whatever  was  offered,  and  setting  it  free  to  ascend 
into  the  other  as  a  sweet  savor. — Baumgarten. 


48  Miscellanies. 

God  may  use  a  Balaam  (or  even  his  ass),  but  this  is  not  his 
usual  method.  There  are  seasons  iu  the  experience  even  of 
bad  men,  when  their  badness  seems  to  be  in  abeyance  and 
when  they  have  views  of  truth  which  surprise  us  {e.  g.,  Byron). 
The  filth  of  the  soul  seems  to  sink,  like  sediment,  to  the 
bottom,  and  the  intellect  becomes  so  clear  that  the  truth 
shines  through. 

Vs.  6.  "  When  they  therefore  loere  come  together,  they 
asked  of  hhn,  saying,  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  tune  restore 
again  the  kingdom  to  Israel?'^  "Restore,"  etc.,  see  on 
verse  3,  supra.  The  theocracy  seemed  to  have  been  lost 
under  the  Roman  despotism. 

Vs.  7.^  "'And  he  said  unto  them,  It  is  not  for  you  to  know 
the  times  or  the  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  i?i  his 
■own  power.'"  Note,  the  rebuke  given  to  curiosity  about  the 
future  is  coupled  with  an  announcement  of  a  preparation  for 
present  duty  in  the  next  verse.  Many  will  consult  a  fortune- 
teller who  utterly  disregard  the  indications  of  present  duty. 
Such  is  unhelief. 

Vs.  8.  "  But  ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the  Holy 
O-host  is  come  upon  yo\i ;  and  ye  shall  he  witnesses  unto 
me^  hoth  i?i  Jerusalem.,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria, 
and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth.'''  huvafuz:  Here, 
the  eflfect  and  not  the  cause,  with  special  reference  to  the 
official  testimony  of  the  apostles.  Compare  "witnesses"  in 
this  verse  and  chap.  x.  41.  Their  inspiration  was  dynamic ; 
and  as  their  testimony  was  recorded,  they  are  witnesses  to 
us  in  the  "ends  of  the  earth. "^ 


'  Compare  use  of  yjiovd'i  and  -/.a'.fxxr  in  Chap.  vii.  17,  20.  See  Ttotov 
xaipnv  in  1  Peter  i.  11.  Compare  Daniel  ix.  2.  All  inquiries  into  times 
are  not  forbidden.     Compare  also  John  xxi.  22,  23. 

'-  This  is  the  way  in  which  the  apostles  themselves  are  to  become  kingft, 
as  witnesses,  7naTtyrs,  as  Christ  himself  became  King.  (See  Mark  x.  35-40; 
Matt.  xix.  28:  Luke  xsii.  24-30;  Eph.  ii.  20;   Rev.  xxi.  14.) 

3  This  defines  the  extent  of  the  kingdom.  It  was  to  be  co-extensive  with 
the  witness-bearing.     (See  John  xviii.  87.) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  49 

Vs.  9-10.  "  Two  men:'  Perhaps  Moses  and  Elijah.  See 
Alexander,  in  loco,  and  compare  with  2  Peter  i.  16-18.  See 
Bishop  Porteus'  Lecture  on  the  Transfiguration. 

Vs.  11.  "ov  r/>o;z-ov,"  identity  of  modo  or  manner,  visibly, 
in  a  cloud,  and,  perhaps,  on  Mount  OKvet.  See  Zechariah 
xiv.  4. 

IV.    The  Last  Preparation.     (Verses  12-26.) 

Then  returned  they  unto  Jerusalem  from  the  mount  called  12 
Olivet,  which  is  nigh  unto  Jerusalem,  a  sabbath  day's  journey 
off     And  when  they  were  come  in,  they  went  up  into  the  upper  13 
chamber,  where  the}^  were  abiding;  both  Peter  and  John  and 
James   and   Andrew,  Philip  and   Thomas,   Bartholomew   and 
Matthew,  James  the  son  of  Alphseus,  and  Simon  the  Zealot,  and 
Judas  the  son  of  James.     These  all  with  one  accord  continued  14 
stedfastly  in  prayer,  with  the  women,  and  Mary  the  mother  of 
Jesus,  and  with  his  brethren. 

And   in    these   days   Peter   stood    up   in  the    midst  of   the  15 
brethren,  and   said    (and   there   was   a    multitude   of   persons 
gathered  together,  about  a  hundred  and  twenty),  Brethren,  it  16 
was  needful  that  the  scripture  should  be  fulfilled,  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  spake  before  by  the  mouth  of  David  concerning 
Judas,  who  was  guide  to  them  that  took  Jesus.      For  he  was  17 
numbered  among  us,  and  received  his  portion  in  this  ministry. 
(Now  this  man  obtained  a  field  with  the  reward  of  his  iniquity;  18 
and  falling  headlong,  he  burst  asunder  in  the  midst,  and  all  his 
bowels  gushed  out.     And  it  became  known  to  all  the  dwellers  19 
at  Jerusalem;  insomuch  that  in  their  language  that  field  v/as 
called  Akeldama,  that  is.  The  field  of  blood.)     For  it  is  written  20 
in  the  book  of  Psalms, 

Let  his  habitation  be  made  desolate. 

And  let  no  man  dwell  therein: 
and. 

His  office  let  another  take. 
Of  the  men  therefore  which  have  companied  with  us  all  the  21 
time  that  the  Lord  Jesus  went  in  and  went  out  among  us, 
beginning  from  the  baptism  of  John,  unto  the  day  that  he  was  22 
received  up  from  us,  of  these  must  one  become  a  witness  with 
us   of  his  resurrection.     And   they  put    forward   two,    Joseph  23 
called  Barsabbas,  who  was  surnamed  Justus,   and  Matthias. 
And  they  prayed,  and  said.  Thou,  Lord,  which  knowest  the  24 
hearts  of  all  men,  shew  of  these  two  the  one  whom  thou  hast 
chosen,  to  take  the  place  in  this  ministry  and  apostleship,  from  25 
4 


50  Miscellanies, 

which  Judas  fell  away,  that  he  might  go  to  his  own  place. 
26  And  they  gave  lots  for  them;  and  the  lot  fell  upon  Matthias; 
and  he  was  numbered  with  the  eleven  apostles. 

Vs.  14.  The  apostles  were  praying,  not  preaching  ;  for  the 
Holy  Ghost  had  not  yet  come  to  qualify  them  for  the  latter. 

Ys.  15-23.  Here  we  have  an  example  of  the  church  acting 
without  the  special  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  being 
guided  by  the  combined  lights  cf  the  Scriptures  and  Provi- 
dence. The  conclusion,  in  verse  21,  of  Peter  is  drawn  from 
the  facts,  that  the  number  of  the  apostles  must  be  twelve; 
that  the  office  of  one  had  been  vacated,  as  had  been  foreseen 
and  foretold  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ages  before  ;  that  the  vacancj 
had  not  only  been  foretold,  but  it  had  been  foretold  also  that 
it  should  be  filled;  that  it  must  be  filled;  that  it  must  be 
filled  with  one  possessing  the  qualifications  of  the  rest,  etc. 
Note  that  the  conclusion  upon  the  whole,  and  the  action  by 
the  assembly  consequent  upon  it,  were  approved  by  the 
Lord ;  but  Peter  was  mistaken  in  supposing  that  it  was  neces- 
sary for  an  apostle  to  have  companied  with  Jesus  all  the 
time  he  was  going  in  and  out,  etc.  Paul  was  not  of  this 
class.^  Note  that  the  final  action  of  a  church  council  may  be 
right  where  some  of  the  grounds  of  it  are  wrong.  Compare 
with  this  whole  proceeding  the  proceedings  of  the  council  m 
Acts  XV.  ^ 

Vs.  24  proves  the  divinity  of  our  Lord,  and  that  he  is  the 
administrator  of  the  church's  affairs.  See  the  "  Introductory 
Remarks"  on  "Jesiis  began  to  do  and  teach."  (See  vs.  2; 
chap.  ix.  17;  xxvi.  16;  John  vi.  70.) 

'  Jesus  might  have  ordained  Matthias  before  his  ascension  (as  he  might 
have  decided  the  question  in  chapter  xv.  in  a  moment).  It  was  better  for 
the  church  in  both  cases  that  the  de(nsion  should  come  after  studying  the 
Scriptures  and  Providence  with  prayer. 

-  In  verse  17  the  ministry  of  the  New  Testament,  8ta/.ir^'.'i..  In  the  LXX. 
the  ministry  of  the  Old  Testament  is  called  kzirnofiYia.  The  apostles,  says 
Bengel,  followed  expeditam  hinnilitatem  ;  a  lowliness  unincumbered  by  the 
state  and  magnificence  of  the  Aaronic  priesthood. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  51 

Vs.  26.  The  lot,'  to  be  used  only  as  a  solemn  act  of  wor- 
ship, belongs  to  the  same  class  of  things  with  the  oath.  The 
use  of  it  in  games  of  chance  \^  profane,  as  the  use  of  the  oath 
in  common  conversation  is  profane.  (See  Mason's  Consid- 
erations on  Lots,  Works,  Vol.  III.,  pp.  265  ff.) 


CHAPTER  II. 

V.  Founding  and  Manifestation  op  the  Church  (Vs.  1-13). 

And   when  the  da}^  of  Pentecost  was  now   come,  they    were 
all    together  iu  one   place.      And  suddenly  there   came  from     2 
heaven  a  sound  as  of  the  rushing  of  a  mighty  wind,  and  it  filled 
all  the  house  where  they  were  sitting.      And   there  appeared    3 
unto  them  tongues  parting  asunder,  like  as  of  tii'e;  and  it  sat 
upon  each  one  of  them.     And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy    -4 
Spirit,   and  began  to  speak  with  other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit 
gave  them  utterance. 

Now  there  were  dwelling  at  Jerusalem  Jews,  devout  men  from    5 
every  nation  under  heaven.     And  when  this  sound  was  heard,    (> 
the  multitude  came  together,   and  were  confounded,  because 
that  every  man  heard  them  speaking  in  his  own  language.     And    7 
they  were  all  amazed  and  marvelled,  saying.  Behold,  are  not  all 
these  which  speak  Galileans?     And  how  hear  we,  every  man  in    8 
our  own  language,  wherein   we  were  born?       Parthians   and     {> 
Medes  and  Elatnites,  and  the  dwellers  in  Mesopotamia,  in  Judea 
and  Cappadocia,  in  Poutus  and  Asia,  in  Phrygia  and  Pamphylia,  10 
in  Egypt  and  the  parts  of  Libya  about  Cyrene,  and  sojourners  11 
from  Rome,  both  Jews  and  proselytes,  Cretans  and  Arabians, 
we  do  hear  them  speaking  in  our  tongues  the  mighty  works  of 
God.     And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  were  perplexed,  saying  12 
one  to  another.  What  meaneth  this  ?     But  others  mocking  said,  13 
They  are  filled  with  new  wine. 

Vs.  1.  Note  the  connection  between  the  Passover  and  the 

'While  Jesus  was  with  them,  and  after  the  corning  of  the  Paraclete, 
they  used  no  lots.  The  Spirit  was  to  be  their  guide;  x.  19;  xiii.  2,  xvi.  6, 
7,  10.     (Bengel.) 


52  Miscellanies. 

Pentecost/  the  oue  the  feast  of  first  fruits,  and  the  other  of 
the  harvest;  the  one  observed  bj  the  offering  of  grain  (com- 
pare John  xii.  23,  24),  the  other  by  the  offering  of  a  loaf 
made  of  the  grain ;  the  one  with  leavened  bread,  the  other 
with  unleavened  bread.  The  offerinsc  of  Christ  the  first  fruits 
is  (1  Cor.  XV.  23)  associated  with  the  Passover  (1  Cor.  v.  7). 
He  is  the  pure  unleavened  bread  (John  vi.),  the  "corn  of 
wheat."  The  offering  of  his  people,  the  fruit  of  the  "corn  of 
wheat,"  who  are  made  out  of  him  (as  Eve  out  of  the  flesh  of 
Adam,  Gen  ii. ;  compare  Eph.  v.  23-33),  the  harvest  of  bis 
death,  the  bread  or  loaf  which  still  has  some  remains  of  the 
old  leaven  (1  Cor.  v.  7)  needing  to  be  j^urged  out.  (Baum- 
garten's  Apostolic  Ilisiorj/.)  As  Jesus  was  crucified  on  Friday, 
the  day  before  the  offering  of  the  first  fruits  (the  second  day 
of  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread),  it  would  seem  that  Pente- 
cost fell  on  Sunday,  the  first  day  of  the  week.  Steir  (  Words 
of  Jesus)  supposes  that  the  Jews  in  our  Saviour's  time  had 
lost  the  reckoning ;  and  that  our  Saviour,  while  he  kept  the 
supper  with  the  slain  lamb  on  the  same  day  with  the  other 
Jews,  yet  died  himself  on  the  day  (Friday)  when  the  pascal 
lamb  ought  to  have  been  slain. ^ 

ofiof^'jftaooi'  of  the  Text  as  Receptus  does  no  more  than  his- 
torical justice  to  the  situation.  Compare  Matt,  xviii.  19,  20, 
and  Phil.  iii.  13-16,  with  Bishop  Horsley's  interpretation ; 
the  connection  between  unity  of  purpose  and  feeling  and 
the  receiving  of  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  that 
what  is  true  of  the  "single  eye"  in  the  individual  (Matthew 
vi.  22,  23)  is  true  of  the  body  corporate. 

Ys.  2-11.  The  gift  of  tongues.     There  can  be  no  doubt  that 

'  For  the  natural,  historical,  and  typical  relations  of  the  annual  feasts, 
see  the  Commentaries;  e.  g.,  Alexander,  in  loco. 

-  See  Schaff's  Apostolic  Church,  Sec.  54,  p.  193,  note  2.  But  Baum- 
garten  says:  "  As  it  was  one  day  after  the  Passover  that  the  truth  of  the 
pascal  lamb  was  fulfilled,  so  one  day  after  the  sheaf  of  the  first  fruits  the 
typical  prophecy  thereof  received  its  fulfilment  on  the  morning  of  the 
Lord's  resurrection." 


Notes  on  the  A(;ts  of  the  Apostles.  53 

this  was  the  immediate  imparting  of  a  power  to  speak  foreign 
languages,  and  not  the  power  of  speaking  in  some  ecstatic 
strain  unknown  to  mortals.  See  the  proof  in  Alexander  in 
loco,  and  Hodge  on  1  Cor.  xii.  10  and  c.  xiv.  On  the  other 
side,  Schaff's  ApoatoUc  Church,  Sec.  55,  117;  Neauder's 
Planting  and  Training  of  the  Christian  Church,  Chap.  I. 
See,  also,  for  both  sides.  Imperial  Bihle  Dictionary  (Fair- 
bairn),  subject  "Tongues."  It  seems  strange  that  any  one  can 
doubt,  that  here,  at  least,  it  was  the  gift  of  speaking  the  lan- 
guages of  the  earth.  The  only  jDlausible  arguments  on  the 
other  side  are  drawn  from  other  places,  especially  1  Cor.  xiv. 
■It  is  said  that  this  gift  is  represented  by  Paul  as  a  "sign" 
to  them  that  believed  not,  and  not  as  an  instrument  for  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel.  Answer  (a).  It  does  not  follow  from 
its  being  a  sign  that  it  might  not  be  used  for  preaching  the 
gospel ;  on  the  other  hand,  if  it  was  used  for  preaching  the 
gospel,  does  it  cease  to  be  a  "sign"?  (h),  All  the  miracles 
of  the  New  Testament  are  "signs,"  and  not  mere  zzoara, 
prodigies.  They  are  all  revelations  as  well  as  proofs.  This 
was  among  the  most  illustrious  of  these  "signs."  (1),  The 
tongue  (the  faculty  of  speech)  is  the  "glory"  of  the  human 
frame  (Ps.  xvi.  9,  compared  with  Acts  ii.  26),  because  it  is 
eminently  the  organ  of  reason,  and  the  instrument  oi  praise 
to  God  (see  verse  11,  which  seems  to  show  that  the  use  of 
tongues  on  this  occasion  was  not  to  preach,  but  to  praise. ) 
The  tongue  is  abused  by  sinners,  is  "set  on  fire  of  hell,"  and 
sets  on  fire  the  course  of  nature  {zou  zfioyov  xl^c,  Yivkazioz, 
James  iii.) ;  but  it  shall  be  purified  by  the  fire  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  (vs.  4),  the  fire  taken  by  the  Holy  Ghost  from  the 
altar  of  Christ's  sacrifice  (Isaiah  vi.  6,  and  see  notes  above 

'Compare  x.  46;  and  even  in  xix.  6.  '"prophesied"  may  mean  the  same 
thing.  See  1  Chron.  xxv.  1-3,  especially  the  close  of  verse  3,  where  "pro- 
phecy" seems  to  be  explained  as  a  giving  thanks  to  anrf  praising  God. 
The  truth  is,  there  is  tw  evidence  that  this  gift  was  bestowed  with  any 
special  reference  to  its  use  in  preaching  the  gospel.  It  was  a  miraculous 
"sign"  authenticating  and  revealing  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


54  Miscellanies. 

on  chap.  i.  vs.  5).  This  purification  of  the  tongue  by  fire 
and  its  consecration  to  its  true  use,  the  praise  of  God,  is  a 
demonstration  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  sanctify 
the  lohole  7nan,  to  pervade  and  penetrate  the  ryoyov  xy^z 
Teviaecoc,  the  whole  course  of  nature.  (Compare  James  i. 
26 ;  iii.  2.)  Nothing,  therefore,  could  better  serve  as  a  "  sign" 
that  the  dispensation  of  the  sanctifying  Comforter  had  begun 
than  the  gift  of  tongues  oi  fire. 

(2),  If  the  gift  of  tongues  was  used  for  />re«cAm^,  then  it 
was  in  harmony  with  the  Christian  dispensation,  for  a  distin- 
guishing characteristic  of  this  dispensation  now  begun  was 
the  energy  and  supremacy  of  the  word}  The  worship  of  the. 
Old  Testament  was  liistrionic  or  dramatic.,  addressed  rather 
to  the  eye  than  to  the  ear ;  the  worship  of  the  New  Testament 
was-to  be  verbal.  Faith  was  to  come  by  the  hearing  of  the 
spoken  word,  and  the  exercises  of  faith,  joy,  thankfulness, 
adoration,  penitence,  etc.,  were  to  be  expressed  in  words  by 
the  tongue,  rather  than  by  acted  symbols  or  by  musical  in- 
striiments.  The  decay  of  the  word  is  the  decay  and  corrup- 
tion of  Christian  worship.  There  was  no  office  of  preacher 
even  in  the  Jewish  synagogue,^  but  preaching  is  the  most 
prominent  thing  in  the  Christian  church  as  described  in  the 
Acts. 

(3),  The  kingdom  of  the  world  was  confounded  (Gen.  xi. 
1  ff.)  by  a  judgment  upon  the  tongue'^ ;  and  it  is  impossible 

I  There  was  a  preparation  for  this  change  in  the  increasing  importance 
of  the  synagogue  worship,  which  is  much  more  prominent  in  the  Gospels 
than  that  of  the  temple.  Now,  the  synagogue  was  verbal  and  homiletical, 
rather  than  histrionic.  As  the  synagogue  polity  was  preparing  the  way  for 
the  abolition  of  priests  and  Levites,  so  the  synagogue  worship  was  prepar- 
ing the  way  for  the  abolition  of  the  ritual  of  the  law.  (See  Litton's  Church 
of  Christ,  Ch.  III.,  Part  2,  pp.  248  ff.)  See  for  the  form  of  worship  in  the 
synagogue,  Neh.  viii.  1-8;  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31 ;  Luke  iv.  16;  Acts  xiii.,  and  com- 
pare the  supremacy  of  the  icord  in  the  church,  1  Cor.  xiv. 

-  Yet  in  the  synagogue  the  word  was  prominent.     (See  above.) 
3  Poena  linguarum   dispersit   homines,    donum   linguarum   disperses  in 
unum  populum  recollegit.  —  Grotius. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  55 

to  estimate  how  much  the  malice  of  the  dragon  and  the 
beast  to  which  he  gives  his  power,  seat,  and  great  authority 
(Eev.  xiii.  2)  has  been  curbed  by  that  confusion  of  tongues 
which  scattered  the  race,  and  hindered  that  concentration  of 
rebellious  forces  in  opposition  to  the  sovereignty  of  God  and 
for  the  oppression  of  man.^  Now,  when  God  designed  to  set 
up  the  kingdom  of  his  Son  in  opposition  to  the  kingdom  of 
the  beast  (Gen.  iii.  15),  the  true  kingdom  of  humanity  in 
opposition  to  the  false,  a  kingdom  in  which  he  was  to  be 
served  by  all  "languages"  (Dan.  ii.  and  vii.)  and  peoples, 
who  should  find  in  the  man  Jesus,  and  not  in  any  worldly 
Nimrod,  their  real  unity ;  when  the  holy  catholic  church,  and 
not  the  tower  of  Babel,  was  to  be  the  place  of  rendezvous 
and  of  safety  for  all  nations — what  "sign"  could  be  more 
appropriate  than  the  sign  of  tongues,^  of  "various"^  {IzBftac) 
tongues  speaking  the  same  praises,  showing  forth  the  same 
magnificent  works  of  God  ?  This  scene  at  Pentecost  is  the 
pledge  and  earnest  that  all*" languages "  shall  praise  the 
true  God.  It  is  a  taste  of  the  fulfilment  of  Psalms  Ixvii.  and 
cxvii.     Compare  Rev.  v.  9-14. 

Note,  in  connection  with  this  paragraph,  the  true  nature  of 

'  Note  the  connection  between  the  Macedonian  empire  and  the  preva- 
lence of  the  Greek  language;  between  the  Roman  empire  and  the  pre- 
valence of  the  Latin ;  between  the  Roman  (papal)  empire  and  the  use  of 
the  Latin. 

-In  the  Persian  religion  there  was  the  expectation  of  a  day  coming 
when,  with  the  abolition  of  all  evil,  iVa  ;5:''<v  -/.ai  [liw  -oh-ziav  w^Ojiw-wv 
lj.e/.afiu)v  xai  i'Loy/Maawv  arravrwv  yz'^zcrOai.  {Plutarch  De  Is.  et  Osir.,  Ch. 
47,  quoted  by  Trench  in  Hulsean  Lecture  for  1846,  Lect.  VII.,  p.  256,  note.) 

3  The  flurality  of  the  tongues  is  another  argument  in  favor  of  the  common 
view.  The  languages  of  earth  are  many ;  have  we  any  reason  to  believe  that 
the  same  is  true  of  heaven  ?  Multa  terricolis  linrjuce,  roikstihus  una.  Still  an- 
other argument  may  be  derived  from  the  epithet  zui^a  (novus,  neuf,  fresh). 
If  the  languages  had  been  utterly  unknown  before  on  earth,  would  not 
another  epithet  have  been  used,  ver.'s-  {recurs,  nouvcau,  new)?  See  Trench's 
Synonyms  of  New  Testament  on  z.  and  >.,  p.  48,  who  seems  inconsistent 
with  himself  in  his  view  of  the  phrase  /..  ykw^. 


56  Miscellanies. 

the  unity  of  the  church.  Not  such  a  unity  as  the  Church  of 
Home  aims  after — a  unity  in  the  use  of  one  tongue,  and  that 
a  dead  tongue — but  each  tribe  and  nation  hears  "in  its  own 
dialect"  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  The  unity  of  Rome 
is  the  unity  of  Bdhel,  the  unity  which  the  Babel-builders 
sought  after ;  that  iron  identity  which  crushes  out  all  indi- 
vidual and  national  diversities.  The  unity  of  the  church, 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  is  the  unity  of  a  living  organic 
species,  admitting  and  requiring  an  endless  diversity,  "//i 
7iecessariis  un'itas." 

(c),  Again,  if  this  gift  was  a  sign  to  the  unbelieving,  it 
must  have  been  exhibited  to  the  unbelieving.  Speaking  in 
an  ecstatic,  celestial  tongue  might  edify  the  speaker  himself, 
but  could  be  no  sign  to  the  unbehever;  it  could  signify  no- 
thing to  him.  See  the  effect  upon  some  of  this  Pentecostal 
gift  in  verse  13.  In  order,  therefore,  to  serve  the  purpose  of 
a  "sign"  it  must  be  like  other  miracles,  a  manifestation  of 
God,  which  it  could  not  be  unless  the  tongue  was  under- 
stood.' It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  this  gift  did 
not  consist  merely  in  i<])eaT<:ing  in  an  "unknown"  tongue, 
but  speaking  in  a  rapture  of  devotion.  It  was  a  tongue  of 
fire.  This  quality  of  the  gift  had  its  effect  on  the  unbe- 
liever.''' In  short,  if  the  gift  of  tongues  was  the  power  of 
speaking  an  unintelligible  language,  it  was  a  different  kind 

'  See,  however,  Hodge  on  1  Cor.  xiv.  22,  where  an  interpretation  is 
given  differing  somewhat  from  this. 

-  There  was  also,  no  doubt,  an  elevation,  an  elegance,  a  force  in  the  use 
of  the  language,  so  far  above  the  ordinary  and  what  could  be  expected  as 
to  impress  every  one  that  "the  Spii'it  gave  them  utterance."  How  different 
a  thing  is  the  English  tongue  when  used  by  an  ordinary  man,  and  when  used 
by  the  author  of  Paradise  Lost,  or  the  author  of  Letters  on  a  Regicide  Peace, 
or  the  Ijetters  on  the  French  Revolution.  What,  then,  must  have  been  a 
language  when  wielded  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  made  the  mouth  of  man  ? 
Such  an  exhibition  in  a  current  language  must  have  been  far  more  impres- 
sive than  any  such  ecstatic  tongue  as  Neander  and  others  speak  of.  Here 
is  a  hint  for  ministers.  The  "tongue  of  fire"  is  what  they  need,  and  this 
comes  from  the  Holy  Ghost  alone. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  57 

of  sign  from  tlie  others  bj  which  Christianity  was  introduced 
and  authenticated ;  and  the  Irviugites  were  not  so  wild  after 
all.  Schaff  {Apof<tol'u:  Cliurch,  See.  CXVI.,  p.  472)  speaks 
of  Thiersch  as  the  only  scientific  theologian  of  the  Irvingite 
community;  but  if  he  (Schaff)  is  right  in  his  view  of  this 
chariain,  I  do  not  see  why  there  should  not  be  more. 

The  two  localities  in  which  this  gift  becomes  most  promi- 
nent are  Jerusalem  and  Corinth,  both  places  in  which  all 
sorts  of  people  are  accustomed  to  congregate.  "  If  this  gift 
had  not  been  real,  how  easily  might  the  bungling  jiiggle  have 
been  detected."  "  Inform  us,"  the  Jew  or  other  infidel  might 
say,  "which  of  the  languages  of  the  surrounding  nations  it 
is  which  you  Christians  pi'ofess  to  speak,  and  we  will  bring 
you  nations  with  whom  you  may  essay  your  powers.  We 
have  with  us  (Corinthians)  Tyrians,  Armenians,  Egyptians, 
Nubians,  Cyrenians,  Gauls,  Iberians,  lUyrians,  Thracians, 
Scythians,  and  Parthians."  (Abridged  from  Isaac  Taylor's 
Process  of  Historical  Proof,  Chap.  XIII.) 

Another  interesting  view  of  this  Pentecostal  scene  is  the 
resemblance  and  contrast  it  presents  to  the  giving  of  the 
law  (also  on  Pentecost).  We  have  in  both  the  tempest,  the 
fire,  and  the  ''voice  (f  vjord-sy  But  in  the  one  all  is  terror; 
in  the  other,  love  and  peace  and  joy;  in  the  one,  the  "voice 
of  words"  is  the  voice  of  God  speaking yr6»wi  without  to  man ; 
in  the  other,  the  voice  of  God  in  man '  speaking  back  again 
to  God ;  in  the  one,  the  voice  of  the  fiery  law  speaking  in 

'  See  notes  on  pages  41  and  42,  ttuprn  ;  and  on  the  difference  between  the 
"law"  and  the  "prophets"  (who  were  the  forerunners  of  the  gospel 
preachers,  Rom.  i.  3,  Heb.  i.  1,  2).  See  Litton's  Church  of  Christ,  Part 
2,  Ch.  II.,  Sees.  1  and  3.  Compare  the  nature  of  the  commission  of  the 
church  established  on  Mount  Sinai  with  the  commission  of  the  Spirit  estab- 
lished on  th.'x  Pentecost  as  presented  in  Ileb.  xii.  18-24.  The  difference  is 
determined  by  the  difference  of  the  Passovers  which  precede  the  Pentecosts, 
the  one  being  the  slaying  of  a  mere  animal  (Ileb.  x.  4),  the  other  being  the 
sacrifice  of  the  Lamb  of  God.  fHeb.  x.  6-10;  1  Cor.  v.  7.)  See  Baum- 
garteu,  B.l,  Sec.  III.,  Vol.  1.,  pp.  4G-48. 


58  '         Miscellanies. 

tones  of  thunder  to  the  guilty  consciences  of  men;  in  the 
other,  the  voice  of  man,  with  his  evil  conscience  purged  by 
the  fire  of  the  altar,  speaking  the  praises  of  God  to  God. 
(1  Cor.  xiv.  2.)  How  characteristic  of  the  difference  between 
the  two  dispensations  are  the  signs  respectively !  The  one  a 
dispensation  imposed  from  without,  an  iron  mould  of  legal 
discipline,  the  other  a  free  dispensation  of  the  law  upon  the 
heart ;  the  one  a  dispensation  of  the  letter  that  kills,  the  other 
a  dispensation  of  the  Spirit^  that  quickeneth;  the  one  a  dis- 
pensation of  bondage,  the  other  of  liberty.  (2  Cor.  iii.)  The 
difference  extends  even  to  the  use  of  speech.  Justus  Jonas 
{(/jjud  Bengel  on  Acts  ii.  4)  observes:  "Moses,  who  is  the 
typical  representative  of  the  law,  had  a  tongue  slow  of  speech 
(Ex.  iv.  10) ;  but  the  gospel  speaks  with  a  tongue  set  on  fire 
and  flaming  with  ardor."  (Compare  the  ^'napiiYjOca,'''  so  often 
mentioned  in  the  Acts;  and  2  Cor.  iii.  12  ff. ;  Eph.  vi.  19; 
Col.  iv.  3;  and  yet  this  Paul  "spake  with  tongues  more  than 
they  all,"  1  Cor.  xiv.  18.)  Ministers  of  the  gospel  too  gen- 
erally lack  this  rrayfrrjaca  and  tongue  of  fire,  both  in  preach- 
ing and  praying.  One  reason,  and  the  chief,  perhaps,  is 
that  in  spirit  they  are  rather  of  the  law  than  of  the  gospel ; 

'  They  were  "filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost."  This  expression  denotes  the 
triumph  of  the  Holy  Ghost  over  the  flesh,  ar.d  its  effect  in  the  case  of  Peter 
was  his  "conversion."  (See  Luke  xxii.  32,  and  Addison  Alexander's  sermon 
iipon  it.)  This  may  serve  to  explain  Acts  ii.  38,  and  "ye  shall  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost."  In  one  sense  they  must  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost 
already,  else  they  could  not  have  repented.  This  promise  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  therefore,  may  be  a  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost  as  enjoyed  under  the 
dispensation  of  the  gospel,  as  compared  with  that  under  the  law.  Query: 
Were  believers  under  the  law  united  to  Christ,  or  is  the  "mystical  union" 
peculiar  to  the  gospel?  And  are  the  Old  Testament  saints  among  the 
things  recapitulated  in  Christ?  (Eph.  i.  10.)  Would  it  be  proper  to  say  that 
John  xiv.  17  teaches  this  difference,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  before  the  resur- 
rection only  dwelt  with  believers,  but  afterwards  was  in  them?  Or  do 
these  words  refer  only  to  qualifications  which  should  be  bestowed  upon  the 
apostles  as  infallible  teachers  of  the  church  ?  Compare  Heb.  xi.  40 ;  xii. 
33,  "spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect"  by  reunion  with  Christ  through  the 
Inhabitation  of  the  Spirit.     See  the  mystical  union  in  Eph.  v.  30,  33. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  59 

the  dispensation  of  bondage  rather  than  that  of  liberty. 
Luther  used  to  say  that  no  man  was  a  good  divine  who 
could  not  distinguish  between  the  law  and  the  gospel.  Note 
the  difference  between  Luther,  the  monk,  groaning  under  the 
bondage  of  the  law  in  his  solitary  cell,  and  Luther,  the 
preacher,  exulting  in  the  Hberty  of  the  gospel  and  proclaim- 
ing its  free  grace  with  "a  tongue  of  fire." 

Vs.  12,  13.  The  effects  of  this  manifestation  of  the  Spirit 
upon  the  spectators.     (Compare  Acts  xvii.  32.) 

Vs.  14-36.  The  first  effect  upon  the  church  itself  has  been 
described  in  verses  1-11 ;  it  is  ecstatic  praise  to  God.  (Com- 
pare Acts  X.  46.)  The  second  effect  is  the  testimony  of  the 
church  to  the  world.  Here  is  the  rationale  of  true  "revivals 
of  religion":  The  filling  of  the  church  with  the  purifying 
Holy  Ghost,  then  the  heart  of  fire,  then  the  tongue  of  fire 
speaking  to  God,  then  the  tongue  of  fire  speaking  for  God  to 
men ;  and  all  preceded  hj  prayer.    (Acts  ii.  1 ;  Eph.  vi.  18-20.) 

VL     First  Preaching  of  the  Apostles.     (Verses  14-36.) 
But  Peter,  standing  up  with  the  eleven,  lifted  up  his  voice,  14 
and  spake  forth  unto  them,   saying,    Ye  men  of  Judeea,   and 
all  ye  that  dwell  at  Jerusalem,  be  this  known  unto  you,  and 
give  ear  unto  my  words.     For  these  are  not  drunken,  as  ye  sup-  15 
pose;  seeing  it  is  but  the  third  hour  of  the  day;  but  this  is  that  16 
which  hath  been  spoken  by  the  projDhet  Joel ; 

And  it  shall  be  in  the  last  days,  saith  God,  17 

I  will  pour  forth  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh: 

And  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy, 

And  your  young  men  shall  see  visions. 

And  your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams: 

Yea  and  on  my  servants  and  on  my  hand-maidens  in  18 
those  days 

Will  1  pour  forth  of  my  Spirit;  and  they  shall  prophesy. 

And  1  will  shew  wonders  in  the  heaven  above,  19 

And  signs  on  the  earth  beneath; 

Blood,  and  fire,  and  vapour  of  smoke: 

The  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  20 

And  the  moon  into  blood, 

Before  the  day  of  the  Lord  come, 

That  great  and  notable  day: 


60  Miscellanies. 

21  And  it  shall  be,  tbat  whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of 

the  Lord  shall  be  saved. 

22  Ye  men  of  Israel,  hear  these  words:  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  a  man 
approved  of  God  unto  you  by  mightj'  works  and  wonders  and 
signs,  which  God  did  by  him  in  the  midst  of  you,  even  as  ye 

23  3'ourselves  know,  him,  being  delivered  up  by  the  determinate 
counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,  ye  by  the  hand  of  lawless 

24  men  did  crucify  and  slay:  whom  God  raised  up,  having  loosed 
the  pangs  of  death :  because  it  was  not  possible  that  he  should 

25  be  holden  of  it.     For  David  saith  concerning  him, 

I  beheld  the  Lord  always  before  my  face ; 

For  he  is  on  m}'  right  hand,  that  I  should  not  be  moved: 

26  Therefore  my  heart  was  glad,  and  my  tongue  rejoiced; 
Moreover  my  flesh  also  shall  dwell  in  hope : 

27  Because  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  Hades, 
Neither  Avilt  thou  give  thy  Holy  One  to  see  corruption. 

28  Thou  madest  known  unto  me  the  ways  of  life; 

Thou  shalt  make  me  full  of  gladness  with  thy  countenance. 

29  Brethren,  I  may  say  unto  you  freely  of  the  patriarch  David, 
that  he  both  died  and  was  buried,  and  his  tomb  is  with  us  unto 

30  this  day.  Being  therefore  a  prophet,  .and  knowing  that  God 
had  sworn  with  an  oath  to  him,  that  of  the  fruit  of  his  loins  he 

31  would  set  one  upon  his  .throne;  he  foreseeing  this  spake  of  the 
resurrection  of  the  Christ,  that  neither  was  he  left  in  Hades, 

32  nor  did  his  flesh  see  corruption.     This  Jesus  did  God  raise  up, 

33  whereof  we  all  are  witaesses.  Being  therefore  by  the  right 
hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having  received  of  the  Father  the 
promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  poured  forth  this,  which  ye 

34  see  and  hear.  For  David  ascended  not  into  the  heavens :  but 
he  saith  himself. 

The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand, 

35  Till  I  make  thine  enemies  tlie  footstool  of  thy  feet. 

36  Let  all  the  house  of  Israel  therefore  know  assuredly,  that  God 
hath  made  him  both  Loi'd  and  Christ,  this  Jesus  whom  ye 
crucified. 

The  jSpeec/i  of  Peter. — It  embraces  these  leading  points : 
(a),  That  this  is  the  last  dispensation  of  religion  for  the 
ingathering  of  souls.'     (Z*),  That  it  is  the  dispensation  of  the 

'  See  verses  19,  30.  Hence,  the  twenty-first  verse.  This  is  the  last 
opportunity  to  be  saved,  by  "calling  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord."  The 
primary  reference,  no  doubt,  is  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  in  verses 
19,  20;  but  this  was  a  type  of  the  last  judgment.  (See  2  Peter  iii.  4-9,  for 
the  principle.) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  61 

Holy  Ghost,  who  was  the  subject  of  the  promises  of  the  Old 
Testament.  (See  the  passage  from  Joel,  and  compare  verse 
39  and  GaL  iii.  2-14;  iv.  6;  v.  5,  16,  25;  vi.  8;  2  Cor.  iii.  6- 
18.)  The  dispensation  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  is  the 
kingdom  of  the  Spirit.  (Matt.  xii.  28 ;  Rom.  xiv.  17,  and 
Actsj!;«55tw.)  (c),  But  the  entrance  into  this  kingdom  is  by 
calling  on  the  name  of  "the  Lord."  But  who  is  the  Lord? 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  proved  to  be  the  Lord  and  the  Messiah: 
(1),  By  signs  and  wonders'  (verse  22);  (2),  By  his  resurrec- 
tion (verses  24-32) ;  and  (3),  By  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  (verses  33-35).  As  to  the  second  point,  this  rests  not 
only  upon  the  testimony  of  the  apostles,  but  upon  the  fulfil- 
ment of  Psalm  xvi.  And  similarly  the  exaltation  of  Jesus 
is  the  fulfilment  of  Psalm  ex.  It  is  evident  that  the  persua- 
siveness of  this  argument  depended,  in  a  great  measure,  upon 
the  strong  conviction  and  feeling  of  the  apostles  themselves; 
upon  the  heart  and  tongue  of  fire.  Si  vis  Die  fiere,  etc.  Note 
in  the  utterance  of  the  testimony,  («),  The  prominence  of  the 
apostles;  (])),  That  the  sermon  is  argumentative,  and  that 
the  argument  is,  in  great  part,  drawn  from  Scripture.  The 
first  indicates  that  the  apostles  were  the  authoritative 
teachers  of  the  church.  The  second  that  they  were  teaching 
no  n<3?/'  religion.  This  furnishes  us  with  a  powerful  argu- 
ment, a  fortiori,  against  the  papists.  Conceding  that  the 
Apocrypha  and  tradition  are  a  part  of  the  rule  of  faith,  still 
they  acknowledge  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments to  be  a  part  of  the  rule  also ;  and  if  inspired  apostles 
felt  it  necessary  to  show  the  harmony  of  their  teaching  with 
the  Old  Testament  (because  all  truth  must  be  consistent  with 
itself),  how  much  more  are  papists  bound  to  show  that  their 

'Three  names  for  miracles:  (1),  rtpa^ — prodigy,  miraculum,  causing 
wonder :  (2),  arjiituiv — sign  attesting  the  presence  of  God  and  the  nature  of 
his  work;  (3),  '5uv«//tc— the  power  or  energy  by  whom  thQ  works  were 
wrought.  The  second  is  the  commoner  name.  (See  Trench's  Miracles; 
Preliminary  Essay. ) 


62  Miscellanies. 

teaching  harmonizes  with  the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures. 
The  truth  is  that  the  direct  tendency  of  popery  is  to  infi- 
deHty,  or  rather  popery  is  infidehty,  and  of  the  most  radical 
sort,  the  Pyrrhonism  of  Hume.^ 

Some  more  particular  comments : 

Vs.  23.  The  compatibility  of  the  sovereign  foreordination 
of  all  events  by  God  with  the  responsibility  of  man. 

Vs.  24.  The  aouvazuv  of  two  sorts  :  1.  Physical  (natural) 
arising  from  the  divine  nature  of  the  Son.  (Rom.  i.  4.)  2. 
Moral,  arising  from  the  covenant  between  the  Father  and  the 
Son.  (Zech.  vi.  13;  John  xvii.  4,  5.)  According  to  the  first, 
the  Son  rose  by  his  own  power ;  according  to  the  second,  he 
rose  by  the  power  of  the  Father. 

Vs.  27.    Hades.     The  unseen  world.     The  corresponding 
Hebrew  word  is  sheol,  from  the  insatiable  rapacity  of  the 
grave,  evermore  crying,  Give !  give !    It  is  rendered  in  our  ver- 
sion "hell,"  in  Matt.  xi.  23;  xvi.  18;  Luke  x.  15;  xvi.  23;, 
Acts  ii.  27-31 ;  Rev.  i.  18;  vi.  8;  xx.  13,  14;  and  "grave"  in 

1  Cor.  XV.  55.  Sheol  is  generally  rendered  "hell"  in  the  Old 
Testament;  sometimes  by  "grave,"  as  in  Gen.  xlii.  38.  Hell, 
at  the  time  our  version  was  made,  seems  to  have  been  used 
sometimes  in  the  same  wide  sense  as  hades,  as  its  etymology 
seems  to  have  been  similar  (Jielan,  to  conceal) ;  it  was  also 
used  for  the  place  of  torment,  which  in  the  New  Testament 
is  gehenna,  the  land  of  Hinnom.    (Compare  2  Kings  xxiii.  10; 

2  Chron.  xxxiii.  6 ;  Isa.  xxx.  33 ;  Jer.  vii.  31,  32  ;  xxxii.  35 ;  Isa. 
xlvi.  24,  and  compare  Mark  ix.  43-48.)  As  "hell"  is  now 
used  in  its  restricted  meaning,  the  translation  is  either  mis- 
leading, as  in  Rev.  i.  18  (see  John  Howe's  sermon  on  this 
text),  or  unintelligible,  as  in  Rev.  xx.  14. 

The  meaning  of  Acts  ii.  27  is,  "Thou  wilt  not  leave  my 
soul  in  the  unseen  world  (or  under  the  power  of  death),"  etc., 
and  this  was  the  meaning,  doubtless,  in  the  Apostles'  Creed 

'  See  Thornwell  on  the  Apocrypha,  Letter  VI. 


J 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  63 

about  Christ's  "descent  into  hell,"  when  that  article  was  first 
inserted  (in  the  fourth  century).  See  Bishop  Pearson  on  the 
creed,  and  the  note  appended  to  that  creed  in  our  Standards 
(at  the  end  of  the  Shorter  Catechism).  See  answer  to  fiftieth 
question  of  the  Larger  Catechism. 

Vs.  31.  Tou  XfH(T~oo,  notice  the  article — the  Christ  or  Mes- 
siah. Peter  first  shows  that  David  spoke  of  the  Messiah, 
and  then  he  (Peter)  goes  on  to  identify  Jesus  with  this  Mes- 
siah. So  Paul  constantly :  Acts  ix.  20-22 ;  xvii.  3 ;  xviii.  28, 
etc.,  etc.  Compare  Matt.  xvi.  16;  Luke  xxiv.  26,  46.  Sub- 
sequently "Christ"  became  a  proper  name,  and  was  used 
without  the  article. 

VII.  First  Growth  of  the  Church.     (Verses  37-47.) 

Now  when  they  beard  this,  they  were  pricked  iu  their  heart,  37 
and  said  unto  Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  Bretliren,  what 
shall  we  do?     And  Peter  said  unto  them,  Repent  ye,  and  be  38 
baptized  every  one  of  you  iu  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  iinto  the 
remission  of  your  sins;  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.     For  to  you  is  the  promise,  and  to  j^our  children,  and  39 
to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall 
call  unto  him.     And  with  many  other  words  he  testified,  and  40 
exhorted  them,  saying,  Save  yourselves  from  this  crooked  gener- 
ation.    They  then  that  received  his  word  were  baptized:  and  41 
there  were  added  unto  them  in  that  day  about  three  thousand 
souls.     And  they  continued  stedfastly  in  the  apostles'  teaching  42 
and  fellowship,  iu  the  breaking  of  bread  and  the  prayers. 

And  fear  came  upon  every  soul:  and  many  wa)nders  and  signs  43 
were  done  by  the  apostles.     And  all  that  believed  were  together,  44 
and  had  all  things  common;  and  they  sold  their  possessions 
and  goods,  and  parted  them  to  all,  according  as  any  man  had  45 
need.     And  day  by  day,  continuing  stedfastly  with  one  accord  46 
in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  at  home,  they  did  take  their 
food  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart,  praising  God,  and  47 
having  favor  with  all  the  people.     And  the  Lord  added  to  them 
day  by  day  those  that  were  being  saved. 

Vs.  37-41.  The  efi'ect  of  Peter's  speech  and  his  subsequent 
exhortation.  Note  that  this  pungent  conviction  was  pro- 
duced by  preaching    Christ.     The   apostles  "ceased  not  to 


f)4  Miscellanies. 

teach  and  preach  Christ"  (Acts  v.  42),  and  the  disciples  were 
multiphed.  The  question  in  verse  37  is  the  prompting  of 
conviction  and  distress.     In  Peter's  answer  to  it,  note  : 

(({),  That  repentance^  is  put  first.  This  was  the  indispen- 
sable qualification  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  because  that 
kingdom  is  spiritual,  and  its  law  is  the  law  of  love,  and  not  of 
fear.  The  subjects  of  it  must  be  in  sympathy  with  its  King. 
But  as  men  are  by  nature  at  enmity  against  God,  there 
must  be  a  change  in  their  nature,  a  new  birth,  a  new  creation. 
In  answer  to  a  similar  question  in  Acts  xvi.  30,  by  a  Gentile, 
Paul  says,  " Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;"  but  to  the 
Jews  it  is  "repent."  (Compare  Acts  iii.  19.)  The  reason  of 
this  diversity  may  be  that  the  Jews  were  the  professetl  ])eo- 
ple  of  God,  in  covenant  with  him,  and  expectants  of  the 
promised  seed.  They  already  professed  to  be  believers  in 
the  King  and  in  the  kingdom,  while  the  Gentiles  had  to  be- 
gin at  the  beginning.  However  this  may  be,  both  exhorta- 
tions amount  to  the  same  thing.  Faith  and  repentance  are 
twin  sisters,  Siamese  twins,  and  one  cannot  exist  without  the 
other.  The  one,  repentance,  has  respect  chiefly  to  the  ter- 
minus a  quo  (sin) ;  faith  to  the  terminus  ad  qiievi  (Christ). 
We  turn  from  sin  to  Christ.  By  faith  we  receive  salvation 
^rom  sin  (repentance).  Both  are  acts  of  the  new  nature, 
and  simultaneous  manifestations  of  the  new  life.  Sometimes 
fizxavoia  refers  to  the  impartation  of  the  new  nature,  the  be- 

\  li.E:-(VM>iz,  from  the  verb  psrw^dtzio,  "to  know  after"  ;  their  change  of 
mind  consequent  on  this  after- knowledge ;  their  regret  for  the  course  pur- 
sued ;  last,  change  of  conduct  for  the  future,  springing  from  all  this.  There 
is  not  of  necessity  any  etliical  meaning  of  the  word  in  any  of  these  stages. 
In  Scripture,  however,  both  verb  and  noun  are  always  used  ethically,  and 
never  otherwise.  Not  so  with  ii.zza;i.zXz(TOai.  (the  corresponding  noun  is 
never  used).  It  occurs  six  times.  See  2  Cor.  vii.  8-10  for  the  comparison 
of  the  words.  In  verse  8,  "I  do  not  regret  it,  though  I  did  rerjret  it." 
Ver^e  10,  '■' Repentariceviuto  ^aSNsXxovLriot  tohQ  regretUciy  See  French's 
Synonyms  of  New  Testament.  ii.zTwo'.a  (verb  and  noun)  occurs  some  sixty 
times  in  the  New  Testament. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  65 

ginning  of  the  new  life.  In  this  sense,  a  man  must  repent 
before  he  can  believe,  or  receive  the  remission  of  sins,  or 
"repent,"  in  the  wider  acceptation  of  the  term.  Compare 
the  use  of  the  woi'd  "conversion,"  which  sometimes  means 
"regeneration,"  which  can  take  place  but  once,  and  some- 
times that  turning  of  the  soul  to  God,  which  is  the  perpetual 
business  of  the  Christian,  and  sometimes  to  special  and 
powerful  effects  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the  Christian  (as  in 
Luke  xxii.  32,  and  see  Addison  Alexander's  sermon  on  it). 
Taking  these  different  senses  of  the  word  into  consideration, 
we  see  now,  with  perfect  consistency,  we  can  affirm  that  God 
''justifies  the  ungodly,"  and  that  he  will  not  pardon  the  im- 
penitent sinner.  (Luke  xiii.  3.)  Compare  the  teaching  of 
the  parable  of  the  prodigal  son.  Here  (verse  38)  the  word 
seems  to  be  taken  in  its  fundamental  signification  of  the  new 
birth,  the  resurrection  from  spiritual  death,  for  "the  remis- 
sion of  sins  "  is  made  to  depend  upon  it,  unless  we  prefer 
to  connect  this  last  clause  with  the  word  "be  baptized," 
which  would  bring  the  whole  into  greater  harmony  with  the 
formula  used  of  John's  baptism.  (Matt,  iii.)  The  meaning 
would  then  be,  "be  baptized  as  a  sign  that  you  have  received 
the  remission  of  sins;  or  receive  that  ordinance  of  baptism 
which  signifies  the  remission  of  sins."' 

{h),  That  baptism  comes  next,  and  apparently  in  the  same 
relation  to  the  remission  of  .sins  as  repentance  itself.  But 
how  can  an  external  ordinance  do  this  ?  Answer  by  refer- 
ence to  the  distinction  of  nece^siia^-  medii  and  necessitas prae- 
cepti.  Repentance  is  necessary  to  salvation  both  as  a  means 
and  from  the  command.  Baptism  is  necessary  only  from  the 
command.  One  is  of  moral  obligation,  the  other  only  oi pos- 
itive. 

'  A  better  explanation,  perhaps,  is  found  in  ttie  fact  tliat  the  Scriptures 
do  not,  in  such  matters,  follow  the  idea  of  thought  or  nature,  but  of  the 
religious  consciousness   in   experience  of  believers.     Repentance   always 
goes  before  the  sense  of  pardon  in  the  experience  of  believers. 
5 


06  Miscellanies. 

As  this  is  the  first  instance  of  Christian  baptism,  this  is  a 
convenient  place  for  noticing  the  question  whether  it  was  the 
same  in  substance  with  the  baptism  administered  by  John. 
On  one  side  it  may  be  argued :  (1),  That  these  persons  who 
were  baptized  on  the  day  of  Pentecost  had,  in  all  proba- 
bility, been  baptized  by  John.  (2),  That  we  have  a  record 
in  this  book  (Acts  xix.  1  ff.)  of  the  rebaptism  of  persons  who 
had  been  baptized  with  John's  baptism.  (3),  That  John's 
baptism  was  not  performed  "in  the  name  of  Jesus";  his 
authority  as  King  and  Head  of  the  church  was  not  recog- 
nized therein.  (4),  That  John's  baptism  belonged  to  the 
Old  Testament,  because  it  was  a  syinholical  ordinance.  This 
is  the  sum  of  what  ha,s  been  said  (with  any  real  force)  in 
favor  of  the  difference  between  the  two  ordinances.  On  the 
other  side,  (1),  That  the  meaning  of  the  two  ordinances  is 
essentially  the  same.  (2),  That  there  is  no  evidence  that  the 
apostles  who  had  been  baptized  by  John  were  ever  baptized 
again.  (3),  No  evidence  that  Apollos  ever  received  any  but 
John's  baptism ;  and  he  is  mentioned  in  immediate  connection 
with  the  disciples  at  Ephesus  (Acts  xviii.  24-xix.  1),  and  seems 
to  have  needed  instruction  as  well  as  they  on  the  relation  of 
John's  ministry  to  Christ's.  (4),  Baptism  was  administered 
by  Christ's  disciples  under  his  own  eye  (John  iv.  1,  2) ;  and 
there  is  no  evidence  that  this  baptism  differed  in  significance 
either  from  John's  or  from  Christian  baptism.  (5),  If  Chris- 
tian baptism  was  essentially  different  from  John's,  then 
Christ  himself  did  not  receive  Christian  baptism.  We  have 
followed  with  him  in  one  of  the  sacraments  (Matt.  xxvi.  26- 
30),  but  not  in  the  other.  (6),  John  was  the  forerunner  of 
Christ,  and  the  design  of  his  ministry  was  to  lead  men  to 
Christ ;  and  it  is  hard  to  imagine  a  reason  for  rebaptizing 
those  who  understood  the  relations  of  the  two  ministries. 
Certainly  no  reason  can  be  assigned  which  would  not  also  be 
a  reason  for  rebaptizing  those  who  had  been  baptized  with 
the  baptism  referred  to  in  John  iv.  1,  2.     (7),  That  the  dis- 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  67 

ciples  in  Epliesus  (Acts  xix.  1)  belonged  probably  to  the 
class  mentioned  above,  of  those  who  did  not  understand  the 
relations  of  John's  ministry  to  Christ's.  (See  Alexander  on 
Acts  xix.  1  ff.)  This  passage  is  a  difficulty  on  both  sides. 
On  the  side  of  the  difference  of  the  two  baptisms,  the  diffi- 
culty is  that  this  should  be  the  only  recorded  case  of  a  re- 
baptism  ;  on  the  other  side,  the  difficulty  is  that  it  is  a  clear 
case  of  rebaptism.  I  confess  that  the  question  is  a  very 
difficult  one ;  but  I  rather  lean,  with  my  present  light,  to  the 
essential  sameness  of  the  two  baptisms.'  (Some  of  the  argu- 
ments on  both  sides  may  be  seen  in  Kobert  Hall's  Treatises 
on  Coimnunion.)  The  strict  communionists  of  his  day  gen- 
erally held  to  the  identity  for  the  sake  of  showing  that  bap- 
tism goes  before  the  Lord's  supper :  the  free  communionists 
(like  Hall)  to  the  difference,  because  then  they  could  show 
that  the  disciples  celebrated  the  supper  before  baptism  was 
instituted  at  all  in  the  Christian  church. 

(c),  That  the  effect  of  repentance  and  baptism,  or  the 
privileges  which  would  follow,  would  be  (1),  The  remission 
of  sins;  (2),  The  reception  of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
In  a  certain  sense  both  these  blessings  must  precede  repent- 
ance, as  above  explained.  And  in  that  sense  the  remission 
of  sins  would  here  mean  a  knowledge  or  consciousness  of 
forgiveness.  And  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  a  lively  sense 
of  forgiveness  to  follow  a  sincere  and  bold  confession  of 
Christ  in  baptism  or  (if  the  person  has  been  baptized  in 
infancy)  in  the  Lord's  supper.  So,  also,  in  regard  to  the  other 
blessing,  which,  not  like  the  remission  of  sins,  is  in  the 
form  of  a  special  promise,  the  moaning  may  be  "  ye  shall 

1  It  may  ser^^e  to  strengthen  the  view  of  the  sameness  of  the  two  bap- 
tisms, that  the  Council  of  Trent  anathematizes  those  who  hold  that  they 
are  the  same.  (Sessn.  7,  De  BapUsmo,  Can.  1  )  The  papists  asserted  the 
difference  in  the  interest  of  their  doctrine  concerning  the  difference  of  the 
sacraments  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  (Sessn.  7,  De  Sacmmentis, 
Can.  2),  and  in  the  interest  of  their  opus  operatum.  (Chemnitz,  Exam  Con, 
Trident,  p.  218;  see  Baumgarten,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  267,  268.) 


68  "  Miscellanies. 

receive  a  larger  measure  of  the  Spirit "  (upon  the  principle  of 
Matt.  xiii.  12 ;  xxv.  28,  29) ;  ye  shall  receive  the  Spirit  as  it 
has  been  given  to  us  this  day ;  ye  shall  be  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost/  and  shall  speak  with  tongues  and  magnify  God. 
(Compare  Acts  s.  46;  xix.  2,  6.) 

{d),  Note  in  the  next  place  the  ground  upon  which  this 
exhortation  is  based,  that  "the  promise"  belonged  to  them. 
What  promise?  The  promise  of  the  Spirit  in-  Joel,  which 
was  the  same  as  that  made  to  Abraham  (Gal.  iii.  8,  14)  and 
to  Adam.  (Gen.  iii.  15.)  The  promise  upon  which  their 
fathers  rested  was  the  promise  upon  which  they  were  invited 
to  rest.  There  is  but  one  communion  of  saints  and  one 
church  in  all  dispensations.  The  object  of  faith  is  the  same. 
Note,  further,  that  this  promise  belonged  also  to  their  chil- 
dren, and  to  those  who  are  afar  off  according  to  the  calling 
of  a  God  in  covenant  ("our  God"),  the  Gentiles. 

Summary:  (1),  This  is  the  organization  of  the  church 
under  its  Christian  form.  (2),  It  is  the  same  church  which 
was  organized  in  the  national  form  at  Sinai  on  the  first  Pen- 
tecost, and  in  the  patriarchal  form  in  the  family  of  Abra- 
ham. The  same,  because  the  promise  was  the  same.  (3), 
The  children  were  partakers  of  the  promise  under  the  old 
(Gen.  xvii.),  and  we  are  here  said  to  be  entitled  to  it  under 
the  new  form  of  the  church.  (Compare  Gal.  iii.  16,  17,  27- 
29.)  (4),  This  church  differs  from  the  old  in  some  particu- 
lars: {a),  In  being  more  spiritual^  "repent";  (b\  In  being 
more  catholic.  The  "promise"  is  offered  to  those  who  are 
"afar  off,"  and  the  sign  and  seal  of  that  promise  is  no  longer 
circumcision,  but  baptism,  which  could  be  applied  to  all ;  and 
this  baptism  should  no  longer  be  reserved  for  proselytes  who 
might  apply  for  admission,  but  should  be  carried  with  the 
promise  to  the  Gentiles.     I  do  not  mean  to  intimate   that 

'  Or  it  refers  perhaps  to  the  sealing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     (See  Eph.  i. 
13,  14;  2  Cor.  i.  21,  22.) 

2  The  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  69 

Peter  himself  meant  all  this,  but  the  Spirit  that  was  in  him 
did  signify  it  (1  Peter  i.  10-12),  as  we  know  by  the  results 
recorded  in  the  subsequent  history. 

Vs.  -40.  "  Testify  and  exhort''  The  two  great  functions  of 
the  preacher.  He  is  a  witness,  and  is  to  tell  the  truth, 
the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth.  But  this  truth 
is  the  truth  which  is  given  them  of  God  in  his  word  to  com- 
municate. Hence  the  preacher  speaks  with  authority,  and 
the  people  are  bound  to  hear  with  "meekness  and  love."  If 
the  preacher  ventilates  his  opinions  on  politics,  or  anything 
else,  the  people  are  not  bound  to  receive  them.  What  have 
opinions  to  do  with  the  faith  of  God's  people  ?  That  faith  is 
concerned  only  with  a  divine  testimony  as  its  object  and  its 
measure.  The  direct  tendency,  therefore,  of  preaching  opin- 
io?is,  is  to  destroy  (by  disuse)  faith.  Where,  in  addition  to 
this,  worldly  passions  are  expressed  by  the  preacher,  and  the 
pulpit  is  made  the  organ  of  personal  or  party  hatred  and  re- 
venge, then  the  tongue  is  set  on  fire  of  hell,  and  not  of  heaven 
and  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  testifying  is  not  enough ;  there 
must  be  added  all  that  is  included  in  Tzafmxahiu,  when  that 
word  is  contrasted  with  duxfiaf/zuosada:,  to  testify  fully.  The 
Holy  Ghost  is  the  Paraclete,  and  the  true  minister  is  the 
organ  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  word  is  explained  in  John 
xvi.  7-15.  It  implies  awakening  appeals  to  the  heart  and 
conscience  founded  upon  the  testimony,  and  the  ministry  of 
consolation  ta  wounded  consciences.  As  in  the  last  part  of 
the  verse,  "Save  yourselves  from,"  etc.;  be  ye  saved  from 
the  guilt  and  doom  of  this  unteachable  generation!  This 
exhortation,  no  doubt,  had  a  special  meaning  for  that  gene- 
ration. (Compare  Luke  xiii.  1-5 ;  Matt,  xxiii.  35-38.)  But 
it  may  be  said  of  every  generation  thus  far,  that  it  is  prevail- 
ingly unbelieving  and  impenitent,  unteachable,  hard-necked, 
and  rebellious,  and  must  perish.  He,  therefore,  v/ho  is  not 
sa\edfro7n  it,  must  perish  ivith  it.  For  lack  of  instruction 
fools  perish.     (Prov.  i.  7-15 ;  v.  12,  23.) 


70  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  41.  One  important  principle  of  interpretation  in  the 
Acts  may  here  be  stated,  and  that  is,  that  the  historian  re- 
cords things  as  they  appeared,  and  not  always  as  they  really 
were.  It  is  not  necessary  here  to  suppose  that  this  "glad- 
ness" in  the  reception  of  the  word  was  that  spiritual  glad- 
ness which  is  the  result  of  the  saving  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  in  all  the  three  thousand.  In  some  cases  it  may  have 
been  of  that  sort  mentioned  in  Mark  vi.  20.  (Compare  Matt, 
xiii.  20;  xii.  37.)  So  also  in  verse  47,  infra,  "the  saved," 
may  be  equivalent  to  "  those  who  made  a  credible  profes- 
sion of  faith  and  salvation."'  So  in  chapter  viii.  13  Simon 
Magus  is  said  to  have  "believed."  The  visible  church  is  the 
visible  body  of  "believers"  and  of  the  "saved";  yet  it  con- 
tains many  who  shall  not  be  saved.  Compare  the  super- 
scriptions of  the  Epistles  with  the  body  of  the  Epistles,  and 
compare  the  superscriptions  of  the  Apostolic  Epistles  with 
Christ's  Epistles  to  the  seven  churches  of  Asia.     (Rev.  ii.  3.) 

Baptized.  The  mode  in  which  this  was  done  is  a  matter 
of  no  consequence.  We  may  concede,  for  the  sake  of  argu- 
ment, that  they  were  all  immersed ;  but  that  does  not  prove 
that  all  Christians  must  be  immersed.  It  must  be  shown,  in 
order  to  sustain  such  a  conclusion,  that  the  word  jSa-zc^co  can 
mean  nothing  hut  dip.  The  attempt  to  show  this  has  ridicu- 
lously failed.  (See  Dale  and  other  works.)  /5«-r/^(t>,  when  used 
of  the  religious  rite,  means  the  putting  into  a  state  of  purifi- 
cation, without  reference  to  any  mode.  (See  on  Acts  i.  5.) 
"Why  do  not  the  Baptists  celebrate  the  Lord's  supper  exactly 
as  it  was  celebrated  at  first? 

Ys.  42-47.   In  this  description  of  the  cliurch,^  note,  (a), 

'  The  true  church  consists  only  of  those  who  are  in  a  state  of  salvation ; 
but  there  are  tares  mingled  with  the  wheat  in  the  church  visible.  "  Deno- 
minatio  Jit  a  potior i  pai'ti.''^  Caution  here  against  the  papal  abuse  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  church  visible. 

'^  How  different  are  the  general  features  of  this  description  from  those  of 
the  church  under  the  law !  Here  all  is  moral  and  spiritual ;  there,  ceremo- 
nial.    (See  Rom.  xii.  1;  Gal.  vi.  15;  v.  6;  1  Cor.  vii.  19.)      The  church 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  71 

That  the  "teaching  of  the  apostles"  is  mentioned  Jir.st  as 
constituting  the  name  and  standard  of  everything.  They  de- 
livered the  word  of  Christ.  (See  John  xvii.  8,  14,  17,  18 ; 
xvi.  13-15 ;  xiv.  26 ;  Acts  i.  8,  et  mult,  al.)  This  is  as  true 
now  of  the  church  as  it  was  then.  The  teaching  of  the  apos- 
tles has  been  recorded  in  the  New  Testament,  and  a  church 
is  a  church  only  so  long  as  it  continues  in  the  teaching  of  the 
apostles.  Even  the  Eoman  Cathohc  theory  of  tradition  pro- 
ceeds upon  this  acknowledged  truth.  (See  Bernard's  Bamp- 
ton  Lecture  1.,  note  2,  on  page  17.)  Faith  is  the  ground  of 
fellowship  and  the  bond  of  union  in  the  church;  but  faith 
has  for  its  exclusive  object  a  divine  testimony. 

(i),  Ko'.\.oyAa}  This  ought  not  to  be  connected  with  the 
"  teaching  of  the  apostles  "  as  it  is  in  our  version.  The  Greek 
will  not  admit  of  it.  Now,  what  is  this  xocv(opia'>  The  mean- 
ing of  the  word  is  obvious  enough,  but  has  it  any  special  ap- 
plication here  ?  It  has  two  special  applications  in  the  New 
Testament:  one  to  the  communion  of  the  Lord's  supper  (1 
Cor.  X.  16),  and  the  other  to  the  giving  of  property  to  the 


is  regarded  here  under  a  threefold  relation:  1.  Its  relation  to  God,  from 
-whom  it  emanates.  2.  Its  relation  to  believers,  of  whom  it  is  composed. 
3.  Its  relation  to  the  world,  from  which  it  is  separated.  Hence  three 
applications  of  the  life  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  church,  {a),  The 
religious  life  as  to  God  (verses  42,  43).  (*),  The  fraternal  life  as  to  be- 
lievers (verses  44-46).  (c),  The  missionary  life  as  to  the  world  (verses  46, 
47).     See  A.  Monod's  sermon  on  this  passage. 

Note  the  true  method  of  "revival"  (in  the  common  acceptation  of  an 
ingathering  from  the  world) ;  it  comes  from  a  revived  church.  The  mis- 
sionary  life  of  the  church  depends  upon  its  life  towards  God.  and  the  life 
of  its  members  towards  one  another. 

'  h'o'.yw.'ta,  community  in  goods  (Olshausen),  or  common  life  in  general 
(De  Wette),  or  the  common  religious  life  of  which  the  sacraments  and 
prayers  are  the  principal  applications.  (Neander  and  Monod.)  According 
to  this  last  view,  the  preaching  of  the  apostles,  while  it  is  one  of  the  exem- 
plifications of  the  common  religious  life,  is  named  first,  because  it  is  histori- 
cally first.  (Compare  2  Peter  i.  5,  "add  to  your  faith,"  etc.)  But  the 
context  is  decidedly  for  the  first  view. 


72  Miscellanies. 

Lord.  (2  Cor.  viii.  4;  ix.  13  ;  Eom.  xv.  26  ;  Heb.  xiii.  16.)  If 
it  has  any  special  application  here,  it  must  be  to  contribu- 
tions, for  the  supper  is  included  in  "the  breaking  of  bread," 
next  mentioned.  Compare  the  corresponding  adjective  in 
verse  44,  and  chapter  iv.  32.  Now,  that  the  word  here  is  not 
general,  but  special,  would  seem  to  be  certain  from  two  con- 
siderations :  1,  That  as  the  history  is  describing  the  life  of 
the  church  as  it  appeared  to  the  observer,  it  must  be  some- 
thing external  and  visihle,  which  the  feeling  of  fellowship  is 
not ;  and,  2,  That  the  other  members  of  the  sentence  describe 
visible  ordinances  of  social  worship,  preaching,  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  prayers.  With  this  view,  the 
context  is  in  entire  harmony.  The  thing  in  which  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  church  at  that  time  was  expressed  most  remark- 
ably was  in  giving ^io  each  other's  necessities,  and  hence  it 
stands  next  to  the  preaching  of  the  apostles.  (Compare 
verses  43,  44  for  a  similar  juxtaposition.)  Contributions, 
then,  were  a  conspicuous  part  of  the  social  worship  of  the 
primitive  church,  and  a  very  emphatic  expression  of  their 
fellowship.  (For  more  on  this  subject,  see  a  pastoral  letter 
written  by  me  for  the  Presbytery  of  Baltimore,  and  adopted 
by  it  in  1854,  and  approved  by  the  General  Assembly  at 
Nashville  in  1855.^  See,  also,  for  the  principle  under  the 
law  as  determining  the  nature  of  the  offerings,  the  Sacrifi- 
cial Worship  of  the  Old  Testa^nent,  by  Kurtz.) 

(c),  TTftoas'jyfuc.  This  word  in  itself  has  special  reference  to 
the  "votive"  part  of  prayer,  in  opposition  to  dcr^acc,  the  ex- 
pression of  need ;  but  the  plural  here  is  designed  to  express 
all  kinds  of  prayer.     (Compare  1  Tim.  ii.  1.) 

Vs.  43.  ''Fear  carne  upon  all."  Note  the  effect  of  holy  joy 
produced  by  the  "wonders  and  signs."  These  words  are 
used  in  the  New  Testament  to  denote  miracles :  {a),  TS[>az — 
viiraculu-in,  a  prodigy  producing  "wonder"  in  the  spectator. 

'  See  printed  Minutes,  p.  296.  See,  also,  Vol.  I.,  p.  130,  of  the  Miscel- 
lanies. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Aposiles.  73 

(h),  fT/jU-io'^,  a  sigu,  teachiri|jj  the  presence  of  God,  aud  the 
nature  of  the  dispensation  it  authenticates,  (c),  dovafieta, 
the  power  by  which  they  are  wrought.  Beside  these,  John 
calls  the  miracles  of  Christ  simply  "  works,"  because  what 
were  extraordinary  in  other  men  were  ordinary  with  (Jhrist. 
(See  Trench  on  Miracles ;  Litrorhictory  Ensay}) 

Vs.  46.  ^'  In  the  temple."  The  Christians  observed  the 
law  until  the  destruction  of  the  temple.  God  suffered  the 
dispensations  to  overlap  each  other.  (See  notes  on  biblical 
history,  Old  Testament,  on  the  overlapping  of  the  Mosaic 
and  Abrahamic  dispensations  of  religion.) 

"  Breaking  bread."  Union  of  social  and  sacramental  meals. 
(Compare  1  Cor.  xi.)  This  implies  the  consecration  of  the 
church.  (See  1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20;  x.  31.)  •  Even  the  social  meal 
was  the  expression  of  the  fellowship  of  believers  with  one. 
another,  and  partook  of  the  nature  of  worship,  the  "  Agapje." 

This  consecration  is  represented  by  the  "singleness"  and 
"simplicity"  of  heart.  (Compare  Matt.  vi.  22-34;  James  i. 
5-8.)  This  state  is  necessarily  accompanied  with  "gladness." 
Living  to  one's  self  is  loretchednexs  as  well  as  x'ni. 

Vs.  47.  ''Praising  God.''  This  is  the  last  item  in  respect 
to  worship.  Their  whole  life  was  a  hymn  to  the  Creator; 
but  they  engaged  in  formal  acts  of  praise.  (See  Eph.  v.  18 
20;  Col.  iii.  16,  and  Pliny's  Letter  to  Trajan,  in  which  he 
mentions  the  "singing  of  praises  to  Christ  as  a  striking 
feature  of  Christians.") 

''Favor  with  all  the  j^&ople."  (Compare  this  with  Acts 
vi.  12,  and  compare  Prov.  xvi.  7  with  Luke  vi.  26.)     Sover- 

'  Vs.  45.  In  obedience  to  the  direction  of  the  Lord  (Luke  xii.  33),  note 
these  people  were  a  conquered  people.  When  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
came,  they  had  nothing  to  to.ve.  Their  all  had  been  converted  into  "a 
treasure  in  heaven,"  in  "bags  which  wax  not  old."  (See  Luke  xvi.  9.)  In 
a  time  of  calamity  the  prudent  will  be  liberal,  not  pnrshnonious.  (See 
Eccles.  xi.  1-6,  a  vade  mecum  for  these  timtjs  of  "taxation  without  represen- 
tation.") For  the  opposite  of  true  prudence,  see  James  v.  3;  Luke  xii. 
16-21.     (See  Bengel  on  Acts  ii.  45.^ 


74  Miscellanies. 

eignty  of  God,  his  wisdom  and  love,  determine  these  different 
conditions.  Note  that  "the  people"  were  finally  stirred  np 
by  the  unprincipled  ecclesiastics. 

The  church  is  thus  described  as  a  happy  Christian  family, 
and  a  Christian  family  ought  to  be  as  this  church,  a  "  church 
in  the  house."  How  different  many  churches  now,  where 
the  members  do  not  know  each  other,  and  do  not  even  give 
a  passing  nod  of  recognition  as  members  of  the  same  body. 
No  wonder  that  so  few  are  "added  to  the  church." 

"  The  church.'''  It  consisted  now  of  more  than  three  thou- 
sand, and  there  must  have  been  many  congregations.  What 
becomes  of  the  assertion  of  the  Independents,  that  this  word 
exxh^aca  is  never  used  in  the  New  Testament  of  a  visible  body 
larger  than  can  meet  in  one  place  ?  But  more  of  this  here- 
after.    "The  saved,"  see  on  verse  41,  pp.  70  ff. 


CHAPTER  III. 
VIII.     The  Fikst  Mieacle.      (Verses  1-11.) 

1  Now  Peter  and  John  were  going  up  into  the  temple  at  the 

2  hour  of  prayer,  being  the  ninth  hour.  And  a  certain  man  that 
was  lame  from  his  mother's  womb  was  carried,  whom  they  laid 
daily  at  the  door  of  the  temple  which  is  called  Beautiful,  to  ask 

3  alms  of  them  that  entered  into  the  temple;  who  seeing  Peter  aud 

4  John  about  to  go  iuto  the  temj^le,  asked  to  receive  an  alms.  And 
Peter,  fastening  his  eyes  upon  him,  with  John,  said.  Look  on 

5  us.     And  he  gave  heed  unto  them,  expecting  to  receive  some- 

6  thing  from  them  But  Peter  said.  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none; 
but  what  I  have,  that  give  I  thee.     In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ 

7  of  Nazareth,  walk.  And  he  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  aud 
raised  him  up:   and  immediately  his  feet  and  his  ankle-bones 

8  received  strength.  Aud  ^leaping  up,  he  stood,  aud  began  to 
walk;  and  he  eutered  with  them  iuto  the  temple,  walking,  and 

9  leaping,  aud  praisiug  God.     Aud  all  the  people  saw  him  walk- 
10  ing  aud  praising  God:  aud  they  took  knowledge  of  him,  that  it 

Avas  he  which  sat  for  alms  at  the  Beautiful  Gate  of  the  temple : 
and  they  were  filled  with  wonder  and  amazement  at  that  which 
had  happened  unto  him. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  75 

And  as  he  held  Peter  and  John,  all  the  people  ran  together  11 
unto  them  in  the  porch  that  is  called  Solomon's,  greatly  wonder- 
ing.    And  when  Peter  saw  it,  he  answered  unto  the  peoj^le,  Ye  12 
men  of  Israel,  whj'  marvel  ye    at  this  man?    or   why   fasten 
ye  your  eyes  on  us,  as  though  by  our  own  jDower  or  godliness 
we  had  made  him  to  walk  ?     The  God  of  Abraham,   and  of  13 
Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  the  God  of  our  fathers,  hath  glorified  his 
Servant  Jesus;  whom  ye  delivered  up,  and  denied  before  the 
face  of  Pilate,  when  he  had  determined  to  release  him.     But  ye  14 
denied  the  Holy  and  Righteous  One,  and  asked  for  a  murderer 
to  be  granted  unto  j'ou,  and  killed  the  Prince  of  life;  whom  15 
God  raised  from  the  dead ;  whereof  we  are  witnesses.     And  by  16 
faith  in  his  name  hath  his  name  made  this  man  strong,  whom 
ye  behold  and  know;  yea,  the  faith  which  is  through  him  hath 
given  him  this  perfect  soundness  in  the  presence  of  you  all. 
And  now,  brethren,  I  wot  that  in  ignorance  ye  did  it,  as  did  17 
also  your  rulers.     But  the  things  which  God  foreshew^ed  by  the  18 
mouth  of  all  the  prophets,  that  his  Christ  should  suffer,  he  thus 
fulfilled.     Eepent  ye  therefore,  and  turn  again,  that  3'our  sins  19 
may  be  blotted  out,  that  so  there  may  come  seasons  of  refresh- 
ing from  the  presence  of  the  Lord;  and  that  he  may  send  the  20 
Christ  who  hath  been  appointed  for  you,  even  Jesus :  whom  the  21 
heaven  must  receive  until  the  times  of  restoration  of  all  things, 
whereof  God  spake  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets  which 
have  been  since  the  world  began.     Moses  indeed  said,  A  i^rophet  22 
shall  the  Lord  God  raise  up  unto  you  from  among  your  brethren, 
like  unto  me ;  to  him  shall  ye  hearken  in  all  things  w'hatsoever  he 
shall  speak  unto  you.     And  it  shall  be,  that  every  soul,  which  23 
shall  not  hearken  to  that  prophet,  shall  be  utterly  destroyed 
from  among  the  people.     Yea,  and  all  the  prophets  from  Samuel  24 
and  them  that  followed  after,  as  many  as  have  spoken,  they 
also  told  of  these  days.     Ye  are  the  sons  of  the  prophets,  and  25 
of  the  covenant  which  God  made  with  your  fathers,  saying  unto 
Abraham,  And  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be 
blessed.     Unto  you  first  God,   having  raised  up  his  Servant,  26 
sent  him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  every  one  of  you  from 
your  iniquities. 

Vs.  1-11,  Note,  in  reference  to  this  miracle,  the  first  mira- 
cle of  the  apostles  of  the  circumcision  ;  (a),  The  resemblance 
between  it  and  the  miracle  wrought  by  Paul,  the  apostle  of 
the  uncircumcision  at  Lystra  (Acts  xiv.  8  ff.),  in  the  beginning 
of  his  ministry,  both  healing  cripples  from  their  mothers' 


76  Miscellanies. 

wombs ;  the  one  a  Jew,  the  other  a  Gentile.      Surely  this 
coincidence  is  not  accidental.     Some  allege  it  in  proof  of  the 
mihistorical  character  of  the  book ;  in  proof  of  the  design  to 
assimilate  the  life  of  Paul  to  that  of  Peter,  etc.     This  objec- 
tion derives  some  force  from  the  additional  resemblance  of 
their  hves  in  the  matter  of  Simon  Magus  in  that  of  Peter,  and 
of  Elymas  in  that  of  Paul.'     But  the  order  and  relations  of 
these  two  last  are  very  different  in  the  respective  cases.     If 
Peter  and  Paul  were  preaching  the  same  glad  tidings  of  sal- 
vation to  men  in  the  same  ruin,  we  ought  to  expect  such  re- 
semblances.    (J)),  Lameness,  and  the  heaUng  of  it,  occupy  a 
very  conspicuous  place  in  the  history  of  our  Lord  himself, 
and  the  "sign"  must  be  significant,     (c),  The  praise  of  God 
is  the  great  end  of  man.     (See  Eph.  v.  19,  20 ;  Col.  iii.  16, 17  ; 
Heb.  xiii.  15;  1  Thess.  v.  18;  and  Eev.  passivi ;  Ps.  Ixvii., 
cxvii.,  cxlviii.,  cl.,  etc.)     This  was  the  result  of  this  healing. 
(Verse  8,  9.)    Compare  notes  on  Acts  ii.  1-11,  pp.  51  ff.,  supra. 
(d),  This  cripple  sat  at  the  gate  of  the  temple,  in  the  most 
public  place  in  the  city,  and  was  healed  there;  and  after  the 
healing  went  irdo  the  temple  to  praise  God.     (e),  He  may  be 
taken,  therefore,  as  the  representative  of  the  Jewish  people, 
as  sinners,  cripples  from  the  womb ;  and  even  with  the  tem- 
ple (the  symbol  of  a  revealed  God  and  of  God  conversable 
with  man)   in  the  midst  of  them,  unable  to  enter  and  hold 
communion  with  God,  and   to   praise  him  in  spirit  and  in 
truth ;  farther,  so  far  gone  in  their  helplessness  and  misery 
as  to  expect  nothing  more  and  to  ask  for  nothing  more  than 
alms'  of  silver  and  gold,  mere  temporal  good;  and,  finally, 
capable  of  receiving,  and  destined  to  receive  (of  which  this 


'  Compare,  also,  the  speech  of  Peter  in  chapter  ii.  with  the  speech  of 
Paul  in  chapter  xiii. 

-  Alms  is  from  £/ry/jt»ff(j>r^,  and  answers  to  it  as  really,  though  not  so  ob- 
viously, as  its  adjective,  elenno-synary.  According  to  Home  Tooke  (in  Rich- 
ardson's Dictionary),  the  stages  were  these:  Almodnc,  almosie,  almo.se. 
almes,  alms.     "An  alms  "  is  .(MTf-ct.     The  final  s  is  not  thi^  sign  of  the  plu- 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  77 

healing  of  the  cripple,  and  bis  walking,  and  leaping,  and 
praising  God  was  a  pledge  and  earnest,  as  well  as  a  "sign"), 
healing  and  power  to  enter  into  the  temple  to  praise  God. 
(Compare  Isaiah  xxxv.  6,  10,  and  the  whole  chapter.)  That 
this  is  a  legitimate  interpretation  is  manifest,  I  think,  from 
what  followed  the  miracle.  The  whole  nation  (or,  at  least, 
the  city  representing  it)  was  stirred  by  it;  a  people  who 
had  been  accustomed  for  three  years  to  the  miracles  of 
Christ,  who  had  seen  many  cripples  healed,  now  felt  that  this 
healing  had  a  special  voice  to  them  as  a  whole.  And  Peter 
thus  expounds  its  meaning  first  to  the  /.aoz  (verses  11-26, 
specially  verses  19,  20),  then  to  their  rulers  and  representa- 
tives.    (Acts  iv.  5-12.) 

indeed,  it  is  a  very  important  fact  for  the  proper  interpre- 
tation of  several  passages  in  this  book  (specially  Acts  iv. 
19-21),  that  the  assembhes  which  Peter  and  Paul  addressed 
in  Jerusalem  were  regarded  as  representatives  of  the  whole 
/«ac,  in  its  corporate  unity.  Of  this,'  however,  more  when 
we  come  to  Acts  iv.  19-21.  (See  Baumgarten's  Apostolic 
History,  section  6.) 

Ys.  12.  ''Men  of  Lsraeiy  People  in  covenant  with  God. 
It  was  wonderful  that  such  a  people,  people  with  such  a  his- 
tory, should  wonder.  This  miracle  was  the  natural  fruit  of 
such  a  history,  if  they  could  understand  it ;  hence,  was 
predicted.     (See  Isaiah  xxxv,  6,  cited  above.) 

Vs.  13.  "  The  God  of  Abraham"  etc.     A  denomination  of 

ral.  Compare  the  word  -'riches"  (from  the  French  rirhesi^e),  which  is  both 
singular  and  plural.  Wycliffe  has  "  richessis  "  for  the  plural  in  Rom.  ii.  4; 
Jas.  V.  2.  Our  translators  write  "riches"  for  both  numbers.  Shakespeare 
has,  "the  riches  of  the  ships  come  to  shore."  (See  Trench  on  the  revi- 
sion of  the  New  Testanaent,  chapter  2. ) 

In  verses  2  and  3,  atref^  and  sptu-a-y  are  used  interchangeably,  yet  the 
critics  tell  us  that  a,  like  petire,  in  Latin,  is  the  word  for  the  petition  of  an 
inferior  to  a  superior:  iiKorw^,  like  rognre,  for  the  request  of  one  to  another 
who  is  his  equal.     (See  1  John  v.  16,  John  xvi.  23,  24;  xvii.  9,  15.) 

'  See  on  verses  19-21  below,  and  verse  27  of  chapter  iv. 


78  Miscellanies. 

God  correspondiug  with  "men  of  Israel"  in  verse  12.  The 
miracle  was  the  result  of  the  covenant,  and,  therefore,  con- 
cerned them  all. 

^^His  Son  Jesus''  (Greek,  nacoa,  not  ocov).  This  word  ma.j 
mean  either  child  or  servant.  The  latter  is  better  here,  for 
this  brings  Peter's  speech  directly  into  relation  with  the 
"Ebed  Jehovah"  of  Isaiah xH.  8;  slviii.  20;  xlix.  3,  5,  6;  vii. 
13;  liii.  11 ;  liv.  17.  This  servant  of  Jehovah,  who  should  do 
his  will  (John  vi.  38-40),  who  should  save  and  glorify  the 
Israel  of  God,  must  do  it  through  suffering.  The  Jews 
who  were  attentive  readers  of  Isaiah,  would  think  of  this 
servant  as  a  sufferer  as  well  as  a  deliverer,  and  no  doubt  they 
had  been  often  perplexed  by  the  apparently  contradictory 
accounts  of  him  in  the  prophet,  that  he  who  should  make 
the  "lame  to  leap  as  a  hart"  should  be  like  a  helpless  crip- 
ple in  the  hands  of  his  enemies. 

Now,  as  Peter  shows,  these  contradictions  are  reconciled  in 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  he  is  thereby  demonstrated  to  be  the 
"Ebed  Jehovah."  The  apostle's  design  in  this  discourse  is 
to  bring  the  people  into  a  right  relation  to  Jesus  in  order  to 
their  healing.  The  cripple  could  not  be  healed  until  he  had 
faith  in  the  name  of  Jesus  (verse  16),  and  this  faith  was  the 
result  of  the  pronouncing  of  the  name  by  the  apostle  (verse  6), 
and  of  the  power  of  Jesus  himself  producing  it  in  him.  (See 
verse  16,  ncaxtz  Sc  auzov.) 

Vs.  16.  "Namey  Compare  the  usage  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment in  reference  to  the  name  of  Jehovah.^  The  name  of 
Jesus  evidently  occupies  the  same  place  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment that  the  name  of  Jehovah  does  in  the  Old.  The  only 
reason  that  can  be  given  is  that  Jesus  is  Jehovah.  God  will 
not  give  his  glory  to  another.^     (Compare  Isa.  vi.  1  ff.  with 

^  E.  g.,  Psa.  xxix.  2:  xxxiv.  3;  Ixi.  5;  Ex.  xxiii.  21.  Names  in  the 
Bible  are  generally  significant.  This  is  speciallj"  true  of  the  names  of  God, 
(See  Ex.  vi.  3:  xxxiii.  19;  xxxiv.  5-7,  and  the  Concordance.) 

-Ex.  xxxiv.  14;  xxiii.  21. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  79 

John  xii.  38-41.)  "Name"  stands  for  the  person.'  Note, 
further,  the  union  of  the  power  of  the  name  with  faith  in  the 
name  in  effecting  the  cure ;  and  compare  Acts  iv.  12  for  the 
analogue  in  the  spiritual  sphere,  or  rather  in  the  salvation  of 
the  Spirit.  (See  more  below  on  Acts  iv.  12  in  reference  to 
the  use  of  acoZ/o,  and  the  transition  here  from  bodily  to 
spiritual  salvation.) 

Ys.  17.  "Ignorance:'     I.  e.,  of  the  prophecies  (vs.  18). 

\^.l^.  ''Christ"  7%e  Christ  (notice  the  article).  Accord- 
ing to  the  prophecies,  the  Messiah  was  to  suffer  (compare 
Luke  xxiv.  25-27),  and  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  this  Messiah  of 
the  prophets ;  in  him  the  prophecies  have  been  fulfilled. 

Vs.  19-21.  ''Repent  and  he  converted,  or  turn:'  Here  re- 
pentance is  put  before  turning,  and,  of  course,  as  something 
distinct  from  it.  Hence,  it  can  only  denote  the  new  birth, 
the  result  of  which  is  a  turning  to  God.     (See  on  chap.  ii.  38.) 

-ooc  TO  kqaXcif&y^vac.     (See  notes,  s^qyra.) 

371(0^  dv.  "In  order  that"  is  the  only  meaning  that  usage 
will  admit.  Then  ''the  times  of  refreshing,"  the  " sending  of 
Jesus  Christ,"  the  "times  of  restitution  of  all  things,"  are 
made  to  depend  as  consequents  upon  the  repentance  and 
conversion  of  Israel.  (For  it  is  the  people  of  Israel,  not  the 
assembly  only,  to  which  these  words  are  addressed  by  Peter 
See  above  on  verses  1-1 1  for  a  statement  of  the  principle  of 
interpretation.  Compare  Hag.  ii.  5 ;  Zech.  viii.  14,  15 ;  Ex. 
iv.  22,  23 ;  Hosea  xi.  2 ;  Matt,  xxiii.  34-37 ;  Rom.  xi.,  for  illus- 
tration of  this  corporate  unity.) 

It  is  evident  that  by  the  yj'ovoc  and  the  xa^ooc  and  the 
d.7toxaTaaTdaecoc  Peter  refers  to  the  same  thing  as  in  the  ques- 
tion of  the  apostles  in  chapter  i.  6,  for  these  same  words  occur 
there  in  question  and  answer.  His  meaning  might  be  thus 
paraphrased:  "I  have  spoken  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  pro- 
phecies concerning  the  Christ  and  of  his  kingdom  by  Jesus  of 
Nazareth.  Now  it  occurs  to  you  to  object  that  these  pro- 
1  See  passages  cited  above  from  the  Old  Testament.     (Psa.  xxix.  2,  etc.) 


80  Miscellanies. 

phecies  speak  of  the  restoration  and  glory  of  Israel  under 
the  Messiah;  but  we  see  nothing  of  this.  I  answer  that 
these  promises  were  always  conditioned  upon  the  repent- 
ance of  Israel;  and  the  times  and  seasons  are  longer  or 
shorter,  according  to  your  own  will  as  well  as  according  to 
the  will  and  authority  of  the  Father."  (Acts  i.  7.)  The  bless- 
ing promised  to  Abraham  and  to  David  was  not  a  blessing 
promised  to  the  outward  estate,  except  as  a  consequence  of 
"turning  them  away  from  their  iniquities"  (verse  2G);  for  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  his  Christ  is  to  work  outwardly  from 
within.  This  was  the  view  of  the  prophets.  (Jer.  xxxi. 
31-34;  E25ek.  xxxvi.  24  ff.,  and  chapter  xxxvii.,  et  multa.) 
Spiritual  blessings,  deliverance  from  sin,  and  the  restoration 
of  righteousness,  is  the  blessing  of  the  kingdom  of  God; 
otherwise  this  kingdom  would  not  differ  essentially  from  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world,  which  govern  men  by  force  applied 
ah  extra.  But  it  does  differ.  (John  xviii.  36,  37 ;  Kom.  xiv. 
17.)  Its  king  is  2^  prophet  (verse  22),  and  his  sword  (Psa.  xlv. 
3)  is  a  sword  coming  out  of  his  DKnith  (Rev.  i.  16 ;  xix.  21), 
and  his  name  is  the  "Word  of  God."  (Rev.  xix.  13,  16.) 
The  subjects  of  this  kingdom  are  those  who  are  "of  the 
truth."     (John  xviii.  37.) 

The  teaching  of  this  passage,  then,  seems  to  be  only  the 
same  in  another  form  as  "  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  at  hand."  It  is  at  hand  if  you  repent;  not  otherwise. 
The  prophets  speak  of  a  twofold  advent  of  Christ,  but  these 
two  advents  (the  suffering  and  the  glory,  1  Peter  i.  10-12)  lie 
in  the  same  plane,  so  to  speak,  and  the  prophets  themselves 
were  perplexed  about  the  meaning  of  their  own  prophecies,' 
as  we  see  in  place  of  Peter's  Epistle  above  cited.  Now  the 
carnal  Jews  fixed  their  exclusive  attention  upon  the  second 
advent,  and  the  glory  when  they  should  experience  a  "re- 
viving in  the  bondage "  (Ezra  ix.  8,  9,  compare  av«y''6>f  in  the 

1  Especially  about  the  chronological  order  of  events.  The  time  is  men. 
tioned  by  Peter  (1  Epistle  i.  10)  as  one  object  of  inquiry  by  .the  prophets. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  81 

text),  nay,  a  total  deliverance  from  it  (Isa.  Ixi.  1-4,  and  the 
whole  chapter),  and,  in  a  word,  the  "restitution  of  all  things." 
(See  Isa.  Ixi.  4;  Amos  ix.  11,  12.)  They  overlooked  the  fact 
that  this  glory  was  conditional  on  their  conversion.  (See 
Fairbairn  on  Prophecy,  Part  I.,  Ch.  IV.)  This  is  only  a 
special  apphcation  to  the  Jews  of  an  imiversal  principle 
stated  in  Prov.  xiv.  34.  There  can  be  no  Uesshuj  with  sin 
unpardoned  and  unsubdued ;  there  may  be  such  prosperity 
as  that  in  Prov.  i.  32. 

Now,  if  the  whole  Jewish  nation  had  repented  under  this 
exhortation,  how  much  more  rapidly  would  the  gospel  have 
been  extended  among  the  Gentiles!  (Compare  Eom.  xi. 
12-15.)  What  a  stumbling-block  to  the  Gentiles  that  his 
own  nation  had  rejected  Christ  with  scorn  and  crucified  him. 
The  obstinacy  with  which  men  chng  to  the  delusion  which 
ruined  the  Jews  is  exemplified  in  the  papacy,  which  is  an 
attempt  to  estabhsh  a  theocracy,  a  kingdom  of  God  in  the 
world  loithout  righteousness. 

There  is  room  for  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  whether  the 
*'xacf)ol  dvac^^uqeco::,'"  seasons  of  refreshing,  are  identical  with 
the  "  y^povcov  d-oxavaazdaeco^"  times  of  restoration.  The  order 
of  the  phrases  would  seem  to  indicate,  {a),  The  conversion  of 
the  Jews;  [l),  Times  or  seasons  of  refreshment;  {c),  The 
coming  of  Jesus  Christ ;  {d),  The  times  of  restitution  of  all 
things.  If  the  "  Kacfiol  dvail^uqecoq"  and  the  ''■  y^fibvwv  dnoxa- 
raazdaecoc:''  are  coincident  in  time,  then  either  the  sending 
of  Jesus  Christ  occurs  at  the  beginning  of  the  period,  or  we 
must  take  ayjn  in  the  rare  sense  in  which  it  is  used  in  Acts 
XX.  6,  Heb.  iii.  13,  as  denoting  the  conclusion  of  a  period  as  a 
limit.  In  this  case  the  period  of  Christ's  remaining  in  heaven, 
the  K(u^)ot  d\ja{l"jzztoz  and  the  iiiovcuv d7ioxaraaxdazu)ciy}ov\di  be 
coincident.  I  prefer,  upon  the  whole,  the  view  which  makes 
"the  seasons  of  refreshing"  to  go  before  the  "times  of  restitu- 
tion " ;  and  which  makes  the  first  to  take  place  while  Christ  is 
in  heaven  and  lefore  he  comes,  and  the  last  to  be  the  conse- 


82  Miscellanies. 

quence  of  his  coming,  the  restitution  of  the  earth  to  its  para- 
disaical condition,  the  resurrection  of  the  saints — in  short,  all 
that  is  set  forth  in  the  last  two  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse. 

Vs.  21.  '■'■All  his  holy  prophets^  It  is  not  necessary,  in 
order  to  vindicate  the  "  all"  of  the  received  test,  to  show  an 
express  prediction  in  every  prophet  concerning  this  "restitu- 
tion of  all  things."  Prophecy  is  regarded  as  a  systematic 
whole,  because  all  the  prophets  spoke  by  inspiration  of  the 
same  Spirit,  whose  office  it  is  to  testify  of  Jesus.  (See  2 
Peter  i.  19,  21,  and  Bishop  Horsley's  sermons  upon  it;  Eev. 
xix.  10.)  The  prophecy  of  Gen.  iii.  15  is  the  germ  from 
which  all  prophecy  is  develojDcd.  Compare  "since  the  world 
began."  (See  Introductory  Lecture  on  Biblical  History.)^ 
The  prophets  are  called  "  holy "  not  because  they  are  set 
apart  only,  but  mainly  because  they  themselves  were  sancti- 
fied by  the  truths  which  they  delivered  to  others ;  for  inspira- 
tion is  dynamic,  not  mechanical.  The  writings  of  David, 
Isaiah,  Paul,  are  the  writings  of  David,  Isaiah  and  Paul  as 
well  as  the  writings  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  certainly 
true  of  alP  who  had  the  imtnus  as  well  as  the  donuvi  pro- 
pheticum ;  whatever  may  be  said  of  the  prophesying  of 
Balaam,^  Saul,  Caiaphas,  etc.,  this  theory  is  perfectly  consist- 

'  See  Vol.  II.,  p.  136,  of  these  Miscellanies. 

-  We  speak  of  the  order  as  a  whole.  There  were  tares,  no  doubt,  among 
the  wheat,  as  there  is  in  the  church  at  large.  Judas  Iscariot  was  among 
those  who  prophesied. 

^It  is  questionable  whether  Balaam  was  a  prophet  of  the  Lord  (under 
the  Noachic  dispensation,  which  was  allowed  to  overlap  the  Abrahamic). 
His  better  impulses,  at  any  rate,  seem  to  have  come  out  under  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  (see  Numbers  xxiii.  10),  and,  pro  tanto,  he  seems  to 
have  been  in  sympathy  with  his  prophecy. 

We  have  a  similar  phenomenon  in  the  case  of  Byron  and  others  (com- 
pare the  "Hebrew  Melodies"  with  "  Don  Juan"  or  "Cain"),  where  the 
filth  and  pollution  of  the  soul  seems  to  sink  to  the  bottom  like  sediment, 
and  allow  the  soul,  for  the  time,  to  become  clear,  so  that  the  light  shines 
through.  I  am  inclined  to  consider  Balaam  as  a  prophet  of  the  Noachic 
dispensation  (now  rapidly  running  out)  in  the  same  sense  as  Caiaphas  was 
a  prophet  of  the  Mosaic  (also  rapidly  running  out).  (See  John  si.  49-52  ; 
sviii.  14.     Also  Sermons  on  Balaam,  by  Bishops  Butler  and  Ilorsley. ) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  85 

ent  with  the  fact  that  the  prophets  did  not  fully  understand 
their  own  prophecies.  Truth  is  larger  than  the  capacity  of 
any  created  understanding,  and  must  ahoays  be  imperfectly 
comprehended.  How  much  more  when  "the  spirit  of  truth" 
makes  the  understanding  its  organ!  The  question  is  some- 
times discussed  whether  Solomon  was  a  truly  converted 
man.  If  the  statements  just  made  are  true,  the  question  is 
settled.  He  was  one  of  the  holy  prophets.  The  idea  that 
the  penman  of  the  "Proverbs"  and  "The  Song"  should  be 
otherwise  is  monstrous.  Sporadic  predictions  might  be 
uttered  by  unconverted  men,  but  not  whole  books. 

Vs.  22-26.  Among  all  these  prophets  he  singles  out  Moses^ 
and  then  the  prophets  after  Samuel.  There  are  good  reasons 
for  this  which  we  can  perceive  : 

{a).  There  were  no  prophets  in  the  strict  sense  before 
Moses ;  there  was  a  prophetic  gift,  but  not  a  prophetic  office. 
Hence  the  prophetic  office  of  Christ  was  not  revealed  before 
then.  History  determines  the  form  and  vehicle  of  prophecy. 
The  prophetic  office  of  Moses  furnished  the  vehicle  for  the 
prediction  of  Christ  as  a  prophet  (ujc  ^/^^),  as  the  kingdom  of 
David  furnished,  subsequently,  the  vehicle  of  the  prophecies 
of  Christ  as  a  king  and  of  his  kingdom  ;  and  the  priesthood  of 
Melchisedec  and  of  Aaron,  the  vehicle  of  the  prophecies  con- 
cerning Christ  as  a  priest. 

(5),  The  argument  from  Moses  is  an  argument  ad  li07ninutn. 
"Moses,  in  whom  ye  trust,"  foretold  a  greater  prophet  than 
himself,  and  commanded  all  the  people  to  hear  him  on  pain 
of  excommunication.  (Compare  the  use  of  Moses'  history  in 
Stephen's  speech,  chapter  vii.)  (c),  The  period  from  Samuel 
is  there  mentioned,  for  at  that  time  the  prophetic  order^  arose. 
It  began  to  be  very  evident  in  his  day  that  Israel  would  fail 
to  accomplish  its  mission ;  that  it  was  losing  sight  of  its  pecu- 
liar privileges  and  destiny  to  have  a  king  like  the  nations. 
As  the  present  grew  dark,  it  became  more  necessary  that  the 

'  Notice  "xa^^lryc,"  in  verse  24,  as  implying  a  regular  succession. 


84  Miscellanies. 

future  should  be  lighted  up,  and  as  the  nation  showed  a  ten- 
dency to  apostasy  from  the  law,  it  was  more  necessary  that 
the  law  should  be  preached  and  enforced  by  explaining  its 
precepts  and  rebuking  transgression.  This  was  one  office  of 
prophetical  order,  and  in  Samuel's  day,  perhaps,  the  most 
conspicuous ;  afterwards,  in  the  period  subsequent  to  the 
division  of  Israel,  when  the  prospects  of  the  nation  grew  still 
darker,  the  future  became  more  conspicuous. 

Vs.  22,  23.  The  prophet  here  can  be  none  other  than 
Christ,  (a),  He  was  to  be  like  Moses,  of  course,  in  particu- 
lars in  which  Moses  was  unlike  other  prophets.  As  to  these 
particulars,  see  Num.  xii.  6,  9;  Deut.  xxxiv.  10;  Heb.  iii. 
2-6;  Acts  vii.  35.  The  mode  of  communication  with  God, 
the  founding  of  a  new  dispensation  of  the  church,  the  being 
mighty  in  deeds  as  well  as  wo7'ds  (Acts  vii.  22,  and  compare 
these  notes  on  Acts  i.  1),  and  these  deeds,  deeds  of  redemp- 
tion, etc.,  are  the  leading  things  included  in  the  a»c  £/^s.  This 
passage,  therefore,  cannot  be  referred  to  a  body  of  prophets 
of  which  Christ  is  the  most  conspicuous,  as  the  "servant  of 
the  Lord"  in  Isaiah  is  explained  of  a  body  of  servants  of 
which  Christ  is  the  head  and  chief.  It  can  refer  to  none  but 
Christ.     He  alone  was  like  Moses.' 

(5),  Additional  proof  of  this  view  is  found  in  the  threaten- 
ing of  excommunication  against  those  who  will  not  hear  him. 
Compare  this  with  Num.  xii.  7,  8,  and  many  passages  in  the 
law  of  Moses  in  which  excommunication  is  threatened  against 
the  transgressors  of  it.     (Compare,  also.  Matt.  xvii.  4,  5.) 

Note,  here,  that  the  Xaoq,  cannot  be  the  Jewish  nation  as 
such ;  for,  having  committed  the  crime,  they  fell  under  the 
penalty  themselves.  But  "the  people"  were  not  to  perish; 
it  was  the  disobedient  who  were  to  be  destroyed  from  among 
them,  implying  the  continuance  of  "the  people"  under  the 
divine  protection.     The  laoz  cannot  be  the  church  invisible 

'  Note  the  antithesis  of  ixv^  and  tJs  in  verse  22  and  verse  24  as  a  confirma- 
tion of  this  view. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  85 

of  the  elect,  for  these  sinners  who  were  to  be  cut  off  never 
belonged  to  that  body,  none  of  which  can  commit  the  sin  of 
not  hearing  Christ.  The  visible  church  is  the  only  people 
of  which  the  things  in  the  text  can  be  affirmed,  a  people 
of  which  rebels  may  form  a  part,  from  among  which  rebels 
may  be  cast  out,  and  yet  the  people  remain  as  an  object  of 
the  divine  regard.  The  Christian  church,  therefore,  is  the 
very  same  cliurcli  from  which  the  Jews  were  cast  out.  (See 
Mason's  Essays  on  the  Church,  No.  5,  Works,  Vol.  IV., 
pp.  100,  101.)  1 

Vs.  25.  "Sons  of  the  prophet  and  of  the  covenants  This 
is  to  be  connected  with  the  "TTfuorov"  of  the  next  verse.  It 
assigns  the  reason  for  offering  salvation  to  them  first,  and 
implies  an  extraordinary  doom  if  they  reject  it.^  They  are 
the  heirs  of  the  promises  and  the  covenants.  Application  to 
the  children  of  the  church  in  all  ages.  (See  notes  of  a  ser- 
mon on  verses  25,  26.) 

Vs.  26.  This  inheritance  will  avail  nothing  without  personal 
repentance.  This  is  the  blessing  of  the  covenant;  and  the 
promised  seed  will  bless  the  tribes  of  the  earth,  because  he 
will  turn  them  from  sin. 

Note,  that  in  this  verse  and  the  last  taken  together,  we  are 
taught  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  ^  of  God  and  the  Son  of  Abra- 
ham. (Compare  verse  22,  "sx  xcov  dde'Aipcov."  Isa.  iv.  2;  vii. 
14;  Jer.  xxiii.  5,  6.) 

'  Note  the  bearing  of  this  passage  on  the  question  of  infant  membership 
in  the  church.  In  the  execution  of  the  curse  on  the  disobedient,  their  chil- 
dren were  cut  off.  By  parity  of  reason,  the  children  of  those  who  were  not 
disobedient  participated  in  their  blessings;  i.  e.,  instead  of  being  cut  off 
were  numbered  with  the  "people,"  or  reckoned  with  the  members  of  the 
church.  The  issue  is  short.  Either  the  children  of  believing  Jews  (under 
the  gospel  dispensation)  were  members  of  the  church,  or  not.  If  not,  then, 
so  far  as  their  children  were  concerned,  God  inflieted  upon  the  faith  of 
parents  that  very  curse  which  he  had  threatened  upon  their  unbelief.  (See 
Mason,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  102-'3.) 

-  Compare  Romans  i.  16;  ii.  10;  Acts  xlii.  46. 

^  The  word  is  -(xida,  and  may  mean  only  "servant."   See  above,  on  vs.  13. 


86  Miscellanies. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

IX.     The  First  Hostility.     (Verses  1-22.) 

1  And  as  they  spake  unto  the  people,  the  priests  and  the  cap- 

2  tain  of  the  temple  and  the  Sadducees  came  upon  them,  being 
sore  troubled  because  they  taught  the  people,  and  j^roclaimed  in 

3  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  And  they  laid  hands  on 
them,  and  put  them  in  ward  imto  the  morrow:  for  it  was  now 

4  eventide.  But  many  of  them  that  heard  the  word  believed;  and 
the  number  of  the  men  caine  to  be  about  five  thousand. 

5  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  their  rulers  and 

6  elders  and  scribes  were  gathered  together  in  Jerusalem ;  and 
Annas  the  high  priest  was  there,  and  Caiaphas,  and  John,  and 
Alexander,  and  as  many  as  were  of  the  kindred  of  the  high 

7  priest.  And  when  they  had  set  them  in  the  midst,  they  in- 
quired. By  what  power,  or  in  what  name,  have  ye  done  this? 

8  9  Then  Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said  unto  them.  Ye 
rulers  of  the  people,  and  elders,  if  we  this  day  are  examined 
concerning  a  good  deed  done  to  an  impotent  man,  by  what 

10  means  this  man  is  made  whole;  be  it  known  unto  you  all,  and 
to  all  the  people  of  Israel,  that  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Nazareth,  whom  ye  crucified,  whom  God  raised  from  the  dead, 

11  even  in  him  doth  this  mau  stand  here  before  you  whole.  He  is 
the  stone  which  was  set  at  nought  of  you  the  builders,  which 

12  was  made  the  head  of  the  corner.  And  in  none  other  is  there 
salvation:  for  neither  is  there  any  other  name  under  heaven, 
that  is  given  among  men,  wherein  we  must  be  saved. 

13  Now  when  they  beheld  the  boldness  of  Peter  and  John,  and 
had  perceived  that  they  were  unlearned  and  ignorant  men,  they 
naarvelled;   and  they  took  knowledge  of  them,  that  they  had 

14  been  with  Jesus.     And  seeing  the  man  which  was  healed  stand- 

15  ing  with  them,  they  could  say  nothing  against  it.  But  when 
they  had  commanded  them  to  go  aside  out  of  the  council,  they 

16  conferred  among  themselves,  saying.  What  shall  we  do  to  these 
men?  for  that  indeed  a  notable  miracle  hath  been  wrought 
through  them,  is  manifest  to  all  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem ;  and  we 

17  cannot  deny  it.  But  that  it  spread  no  further  among  the 
people,  let  us  threaten  them,  that  they  speak  henceforth  to  no 

18  man  in  this  name.     And  they  called  them,  and  charged  them 

19  not  to  speak  at  all  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  But  Peter 
and  John  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Whether  it  be  right  in 
the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto  you  rather  than  unto  God, 

20  judge  ye:  for  we  cannot  but  speak  the  things  which  we  saw 

21  and  heard.     And  they,  when  they  had  further  threatened  them, 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  87 

let  them  go,  finding  nothing  how  they  might  punish  them,  be- 
cause of  the  people ;  fox*  all  men  glorified  God  for  that  which 
was  done.     For  the  man  was  more  than  forty  years  old,  on  22 
whom  this  miracle  of  healing  was  wrought. 

Vs.  1.  The  warning  of  Christ  is  fulfilled  (John  xv.  20,  21) ; 
the  favor  shown  the  disciple  at  first  (Acts  ii.  47)  was  due  to 
the  special  agency  of  Providence.  We  find  the  rulers  first, 
then  the  people  (Acts  vi.  12),  becoming  their  enemies.  The 
"priests"  were  probably,  in  general,  Sadducees.  The  name 
Sadducee  derived  from  Zadok  (1  Kings  i.  32-45),  whose  faith- 
fulness seems  to  have  given  the  preeminence  to  the  priests  of 
his  line  in  the  subsequent  history.  (Ezekiel  xl.  46 ;  xliv.  15 ; 
xlviii.  11.)  The  Sadducees  were  (most  probably)  Zadokites 
(or  claimed  to  be  so)  and  constituted  a  kind  of  sacerdotal 
aristocracy.     (See  Acts  v.  17.) 

The  Pharisees  were  more  prominent  in  the  Gospels,  the  Sad- 
ducees in  the  Acts.  The  reason  obviously  is  that  the  apostles 
were  witnesses  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ.  (See  Acts  xxiii. 
8,  and  compare  Matt.  xxii.  23.)  The  priests,  as  such,  seem 
to  have  been  specially  offended  that  the  apostles  assumed  to 
teach  (Mai.  ii.  7 ;  Mic.  iii.  11) ;  the  Sadducees,  as  such,  that 
they  announced  the  fact  of  a  resurrection,  and  based  the  cer- 
tainty thereof  on  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,     (iv  r«>  Ir^ao'j.) 

Ys.  4.  iyzvrj&q,  hecame,  implying  that  the  believers  of  verse 
3  were  added  to  the  number  mentioned  before  (Acts  ii.  41),  so 
that  the  whole  number  of  the  vien  {avojuov,  vinyrum.,  not 
avdpcoTiwv,  ho'ininum)  became,  amounted  to  about,  five  thou- 
sand.    (Compare  Acts  v.  14.) 

Vs.  5.  "Rulers"  genus.  "Elders''''  and  "scribes,"  the  co- 
ordinate species.  (Compare  1  Tim.  v.  17.)  "  Their,"  refer- 
ring to  "the  men"  of  verse  4.  The  Sanhedrim  was  the  body 
of  lawful  rulers  even  of  the  Christians,  and  acknowledged  by 
them  as  such.  This  is  clearly  implied  in  Peter's  speech ;  only 
when  their  authority  comes  in  direct  collision  with  Christ's 
does  Peter  refuse  to  obey.  (Acts  iv.  19.)  And  this  is  a  rule 
for  all  time  in  regard  to  all  councils.     (Luther  and  the  Pope.) 


88  Miscellanies. 

Ys.  7.  "In  what  kind  of  power  (strength  or  energy),  or  in 
what  kind  of  name  did  ye  this?"  Note,  the  Sanhedrim  did 
not  deny  the  fact  of  the  miracle.  (Compare  verse  16,  below.) 
Modern  infidelity  denies,  not  only  the  fact,  but  even  the  pos- 
sibility of  a  miracle ;  but  the  Sanhedrim  were  compelled  to 
concede  the  fact.  Why,  then,  did  they  not  admit  the  divine 
legation  of  those  by  whom  it  was  performed  ?  Did  they  take 
the  ground  that  a  miracle  was  no  proof  of  a  divine  commis- 
sion? If  so,  what  became  of  the  authority  of  Moses,  of  Elijah, 
of  Elisha?  Nicodemus,  a  master  in  Israel,  allowed  (John 
iii.  2)  and  Christ  assented  that  miracles  did  prove  the  divine 
commission  of  the  worker.  (John  v.  36;  x.  25;  xv.  24.)  The 
position  of  the  Sanhedrim  is  explained,  no  doubt,  by  a  refer- 
ence to  Deut.  xiii.  1-5  and  Deut.  xviii.  18-22.  In  those  two 
places  it  is  implied  (a),  That  a  man  may  pretend  to  come  in 
the  /icwie  of  Jehovah,  when  Jehovah  has  not  sent  him;  (l), 
That  he  may  perform  a  sign  or  a  wonder  in  proof  of  his  mis- 
sion and  yet  be  a  pretender;  (c).  That  he  is  proved  to  be  a 
pretender  either  by  his  failure  to  perform  the  sign  he  pro- 
mised, or,  if  the  sign  take  place,  by  the  unsound  teaching 
itself,  unsound  because  contradicting  what  God  had  before 
taught.  In  Deiit.  xii.  the  "internal"  evidence  is  made  the 
controlling  evidence  ;  in  Deut.  xviii.  the  "external" ;  in  Deut. 
xiii.  the  main  question  is  the  noia  Soua/jei ;  in  Deut.  xviii.  the 
TTot^  ouofjiarc.  In  the  question  of  the  Sanhedrim  the  oui^a/i:^ 
comes  first,  showing  that  Deut.  xiii.  was  mainly  in  their  eye. 
Granting  the  miracle,  the  apostles  were  still  pretenders,  be- 
cause they  were  teaching  apostasy  from  the  revelation  given 
by  Moses,  a  revelation  authenticated  by  miracles.  And  upon 
the  supposition  that  Christianity  was  opposed  to  the  religion 
of  Moses,  the  Sanhedrim  would  have  been  right.  But  the 
apostles  insisted  that  Christianity  was  not  only  not  opposed 
to  Judaism,  but  loas  Judaism,  in  another  and  complete  stage. 
[Judaism  the  bud,  Christianity  the  full  flower  and  fruit; 
Judaism  the  boy,  Christianity  the  adult  man  (Gal.  iv.  1-7) ; 
Judaism  and  Christianity  the  same  good  olive  tree  .(Rom.  xi.) ; 


NoiEs  ON  THE  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  89 

and  see  Paul's  defence  against  the  charge  of  apostasy  from 
Moses  in  chapters  xxiii,,xxiv.,  xxviii.,  the  sum  of  all  of  which 
is  that  lie  was  the  true  Jew,  and  his  accusers  the  apostates. 
See  also  oiu-  Saviour's  defences  against  the  same  charge  in 
John  V.  45,  46,  47,  and  compare  verses  39,  40  of  same  chap- 
ter. Compare  also  Stephen's  defence  in  chapter  vii.]  Hence 
Peter  in  the  preceding  chapter  (verse  22  if.)  quotes  Moses' 
prophecy  (Deut.  xviii.)  as  fulfilled  in  Christ,  whose  "name" 
was  the  same  as  Jehovah's.  In  his  "name"  the  apostles 
preached,  worked  miracles  ;  his  "  name  "  had  made  the  cripple 
whole.  (Vs.  16  of  chap,  iii.)  Hence  they  were  not  acting  "  pre- 
sumptuously "  (Deut.  xviii.  22),  or  in  opposition  to  Moses,  or  in 
the  name  of  other  gods.  (Deut.  xviii.  20;  xiii.  2.)  Note,  that 
if  Christ  be  not  God,  then  the  Sanhedrim  ought  to  have  put 
the  apostles  to  death,  and  they  were  right  in  putting  Christ 
to  death.  (John  xix.  7.)  The  Sociniau  position  justifies  the 
killing  of  Christ.  Inferences :  {a),  No  professed  revelation 
can  contradict  any  preceding  revelation.  "  No  lie  is  of  the 
truth"  (1  John  ii.  21) ;  hence  {h),  the  validity  of  the  "internal 
evidence " ;  hence  again,  (c),  the  awkwardness  of  the  logical 
position  of  the  papists,  even  granting  their  rule  of  faith. 
The  Old  and  New  Testaments  at  any  rate  constitute  a  part  of 
their  rule,  and  they  are  bound  to  teach  nothing  that  is  incon- 
sistent with  that  part.  Paul  was  an  infallible  teacher,  and 
yet  he  constantly  quotes  the  existing  Scriptures  to  show  the 
harmony  of  his  teaching  with  them  ;  and  the  Bereans  are  com- 
mended (Acts  xvii.  11)  for  bringing  Paul  to  that  touchstone. 
(This  last  instance  also  shows  "  the  right  of  private  judgment " 
even  as  to  the  teaching  of  an  infallible  teacher,  especially  when 
an  acknowledged  revelation  exists  to  which  an  appeal  may  be 
made.  So  that  even  the  acknowledgment  of  papal  infallibility 
would  not  annihilate  the  right  of  private  judgment.) 

Vs.  8.  "Filled  with  the  Holy  Ghostr  Fulfilment  of  the 
promise  in  Matt.  x.  19,  20;  Mark  xiii.  11;  important  to  be 
noted ;  determines  the  view  to  be  taken  of  some  passages  in 
this  book,  e.  g.,  chapter  xxiii.  3  ff. 


90  ,     Miscellanies. 

Ys,  10.  Note  the  favorite  antithesis  of  Peter  between  man's 
treatment  of  Jesus,  and  God's.  (Compare  ii.  23,  24,  36 ;  iii. 
13-15 ;  1  Pet.  iii.  18.) 

Vs.  12.  Note  the  word  "salvation"  as  applied  in  a  more 
comprehensive  sense  than  in  verse  9  ("made  whole,"  asacoazac, 
saved).  The  transition  from  the  narrower  to  the  wider  mean- 
ing is  natural.  Peter  still  has  the  place  of  Joel  (Acts  ii.  28-32 ; 
compare  Acts  ii.  16-21)  in  his  eje — the  promised  salvation; 
the  healing  of  the  cripple  a  specimen  as  well  as  a  proof  of  this 
salvation  ;  the  healing  was  by  Jesus  the  Saviour,  through 
faith  (compare  Matt.  ix.  5,  6),  apart,  an  instalment,  and  there- 
fore the  pledge  and  earnest  of  a  full  salvation.  Hence,  the 
same  "name"  (Jehovah — Saviour)  is  might j  to  save  to  the 
uttermost ;  and  no  other  name  can  save  at  all.  The  necessity 
here  affirmed  of  salvation  through  tJiis  name  and  the  impossi- 
bility of  salvation  in  any  other  is  a  necessity,  not  growing  out 
of  the  divine  decree  only  or  chiefly,  but  out  of  the  very  nature 
of  God.  This  against  Bishop  Butler  and  others,  who  say  that 
we  have  nothing  to  do  with  "the  reasons  of  the  cross,"  but 
only  with  the  fact.  Paul,  on  the  contrary,  insists  that  Christ 
is  the  "power  of  God  unto  salvation"  (Rom.  i.  16;  compare  1 
Cor.  i.  18,  24),  because  in  him  is  the  righteousness  of  God 
(the  righteousness  which  God  has  provided,  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  who  is  God)  revealed.  Note,  that  revelation 
is  indispensable  to  any  true  religion,  because  religion  imphes 
always  a  "free"  act  of  God. 

Vs.  13.  '^  Unlearned  and  ignorant  7neny  Rather  "  unlettered 
and  private  men,"  not  taught  in  the  schools  and  not  occupy- 
ing official  station.  They  "had  been  with  Jesus";  this  was 
a  better  school  than  that  of  any  rabbi.  This  furnishes  a 
sufficient  answer  to  those  who  say  that  a  minister  need  not 
be  educated.  Surely  to  have  been  with  the  divine  prophet 
of  the  church  for  three  years  was  a  good  education.  Paul, 
though  inspired,  felt  the  need  of  keeping  up  his  studies.  (2 
Tim,  iv.  13.) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  91 

Ys.  16,  17.  See  on  verse  7  above  for  the  perplexity  of  the 
Sanhedrim.  ''Wc  cannot  devy  it''  Would  if  we  could.  Com- 
pare the  case  of  the  miracle  in  John  is. ;  specially  verses  16, 
24.  There  the  enemies  of  Christ  go  on  the  supposition  that 
no  man  who  opposes  them  can  work  such  a  miracle,  for  he 
must  be  a  "sinner,"  an  out-and-out  rebel  against  God;  and 
the  man  whose  sight  had  been  given  to  him  plants  himself 
on  the  fact  that  he  had  been  blind,  but  was  now  seeing 
There  is  no  arguing  against  facts.  Henry  Rogers  mentions 
the  case  of  a  lawyer,  who,  finding  a  man  with  his  feet  in  the 
stocks,  asked  him  what  he  had  been  put  there  for.  On 
being  told,  the  lawyer  said,  "They  can't  put  you  there  for 
that."  "But  I  am  here,"  rejoined  the  man.  So  Peter  (2 
Pet.  ii.)  and  Jude  argue  against  the  universalist — scofl'ers 
from  the  facts  of  past  judgments  of  God.  If  the  arguments 
of  the  scofi'ers  were  sound,  no  such  facts  could  have  occurred. 
But  the  facts  have  occurred,  ergo  the  arguments  are  unsound. 

In  this  case,  however,  the  fact  cannot  be  denied,  and  the 
only  way  of  escape  from  the  conclusion  that  the  apostles  are 
sent  of  God  is  the  letter  of  the  law  in  Deut.  xiii.  1,  etc.  But 
men  who  have  power,  when  beaten  in  argument,  resort  to 
force.     Hence,  the  threatenings  of  verses  17,  18,  21. 

Vs.  19.  The  true  rule  of  action  when  man's  commands 
conflict  with  those  of  God.  That  God  is  to  be  obeyed  in 
such  a  case,  even  the  persecutor  will  allow.  The  trouble  is 
to  convince  him  that  there  is  such  a  conflict.  Meantime  the 
persecuted  must  follow  the  voice  of  conscience  (verse  20), 
"He  cannot  but  speak,"  etc.  ^^ Seen  and  heard.''  This  ex- 
pression shows  that  the  apostles  were  testifying  to  facts,  'not 
to  mere  doctrines ;  and  their  being  walling  to  suffer  for  such 
testimony  is  proof  of  the  sincerity  of  their  conviction  of  the 
reality  of  the  facts.  Furthermore,  when  twelve  men  are  con- 
vinced to  such  an  extent  of  the  reality  of  certain  facts,  that 
conviction  can  only  be  rationally  accounted  for  on  the  sup- 
position of  the  reality  of  the  facts.     When  we  use  the  suffer- 


92  MlbCELLANIES. 

ings  of  the  apostles  in  proof  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  it  is 
no  reply  to  say  that  false  religions  have  their  martyrs ;  for 
these  martyrs  die  for  opinions,  not  facts.  The  apostles  died  to 
attest  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  and  that  fact  carries  with  it 
the  divine  nature  of  Jesus,  and  the  certain  truth  of  his  religion, 
unless  the  sincere  conviction  of  the  apostles  as  to  the  reality 
of  the  facts  can  be  accounted  for  on  some  other  supposition 
than  that  the  facts  are  real. 

X.  The  Triumphant  Power  of  the  Church.     (Vs.  23-37.) 

23  And  being  let  go,  they  came  to  their  own  company,  and  re- 
ported all  that  the  chief  priests  and  the  elders  had  said  unto 

24  them.  And  they,  when  they  heard  it,  lifted  up  their  voice  to 
God  with  one  accord,  and  said,  O  Lord,  thou  that  didst  make 

25  the  heaven  and  the  earth  and  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is; 
who  by  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  mouth  of  our  father  David  thy 
servant,  didst  say, 

Why  did  the  Gentiles  rage, 

And  the  peoples  imagine  vain  things? 

26  The  kmgs  of  the  earth  set  themselves  in  array. 
And  the  rulers  were  gathered  together, 
Against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  Anointed: 

27  for  of  a  truth  in  this  city  against  thy  holy  Servant  Jesus,  whom 
thou   didst    anoiut,  both  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  with   the 

28  Gentiles  and  the  peoples  of  Israel,  were  gathered  together,  to 
do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  foreordained  to  come 

29  to  pass.  And  now,  Lord,  look  upon  their  threatenings:  and 
grant  unto  thy  servants  to  speak  thy  word  with  all  boldness, 

30  while  thou  stretehest  forth  thy  hand  to  heal ;  and  that  signs 
and  wonders  may  be  done  through  the  name  of  th}'  holy  Servant 

31  Jesus.  And  when  they  had  prayed,  the  place  was  shaken 
wherein  they  were  gathered  together ;  and  they  were  all  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  they  spake  the  word  of  God  with 
boldness. 

32  And  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart 
and  soul:  and  not  one  of  them  said  that  aught  of  the  things 
which  he  possessed  was  his  own;  but  they  had  all  things  com- 

33  mon.  And  with  great  power  gave  the  apostles  their  witness  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus :  and  great  grace  was  u2:)on 

34  them  all.  For  neither  was  there  among  them  any  that  lacked : 
for  as  many  as  were  possessors  of  lands  or   houses  sold  them, 

35  and  brought  the  prices  of  the  things  that  were  sold,  and  laid 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  93 

them  at  the  apostles"  feet :  and  distribution  was  made  unto  each, 
according  as  any  one  had  need. 

And  Josej)b,  who  by  the  apostles  was  surnamed  Barnabas  36 
(which  is,    being  interpreted,  Son  of  exhortation),  a  Levite,  a  37 
man  of  Cyprus  by  race,  having  a  field,  sold  it,  and  brought  the 
money,  and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet. 

Vs.  24^30.  Note,  (a),  The  church  does  uot  ask  for  the  de- 
struction of  the  worldly  powers,  or  even  for  the  removal  of 
the  danger,  but  for  that  internal  victory  over  the  threats  and 
violence  of  the  world  which  is  accomplished  by  means  of  a 
free  testimony  to  the  divine  word,  and  a  glorifying  of  Jesus 
by  the  working  of  miracles  (verses  29,  30)  ;  and  that  prayer 
was  answered.  This  is  for  o(/r  learning.  The  prayers  of  the 
church  are  noio  answered,  though  there  be  no  external  sign 
of  the  fact  as  there  was  in  their  case  (verse  31).  This  mira- 
cle and  others  are  designed  to  reveal  the  presence  and  mani- 
fest the  power  of  Jesus ;  but  his  presence  and  power  are  with 
the  church  when  not  so  revealed.  The  shaking  of  the  house 
was  not  the  answer  to  the  prayer  (which  consisted  in  "all  be- 
ing filled  with  the  Spirit,  and  speaking  the  word  of  God  with 
boldness")  but  the  sig/i  of  it.  We  may  have  the  thing  with- 
out the  miraculous  sign,  (b),  The  connection  between  una- 
nimity in  social  prayer  and  the  answer  to  it.  "  With  one 
accord''''  (verse  24).  Compare  Matt,  xviii.  19,  20.  Being  in 
one  place  is  not  enough ;  using  the  same  words  is  not  enough; 
'' cormnon  prayer"  is  not  always  common jf?n/?/er /  if  prayer 
is  the  offering  up  of  the  desires  of  the  heart,  then  we  must 
agree  in  these  desires,  must  be  of  "one  accord"  as  well  as 
"in  one  place."  (Acts  ii.  1.)  This  unanimity  in  seeking  spirit- 
ual blessings  (and  these  are  the  only  blessings  here  sought) 
can  only  be  produced  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  the  breathing  of 
a  true  prayer  is  always  and  only  the  response  of  a  breathing 
of  the  Spirit  upon  us.  This  is  the  respiration  of  a  believer, 
the  inhalation  of  the  Spirit  and  the  exhalation  of  the  desires 
after  God.  (c).  If  these  spirit-breathed  desires  are  present, 
it  matters  little  whether  the  words  have  been  written  before- 


94  Miscellanies. 

liand,  and  are  now  read  or  repeated  from  memory,  or  whether 
they  are  the  suggestions  of  the  moment.  Such  a  Psalm  aa 
the  one  hundred  and  forty- fifth  or  the  one  hundred  and  fifti- 
eth maybe  "said"  or  "sung"  with  acceptance  with  God  and 
to  the  edification  of  ourselves  and  the  church,  provided  the 
spirit  of  praise  is  present ;  and  if  it  were  possible  to  frame  a 
form  of  words  more  glorious  than  that  of  these  Psalms,  that 
form  would  be  nothing  without  the  Spirit.  Even  if  we  had 
here  in  this  passage  of  the  Acts — as  some  say  we  have — an 
example  of  the  use  of  a  liturgy,'  it  is  a  liturgy  inspired  by  the 
Spirit,  (d),  The  church  appeals  to  the  absolute  sovereignty 
and  almightiness  of  God  (verse  24),  attributes  easy  to  recite 
in  our  creed,  and  hard  to  keep  hold  of  in  time  of  trial.  (Gen. 
xvii.  1 ;  Eom.  iv.  21.)  God,  by  reason  of  these  attributes, 
laughs  at  all  the  conspiracies  of  his  enemies  (Psalm  ii.  4),  and 
requires  his  church  to  despise  them.  (Isaiah  viii.  13,  14.) 
(e),  Such  conspiracies  are  formed  by  wicked  men  who  are 
otherwise  enemies  to  each  other.  (Verse  27.*  Compare 
Luke  xxiii.  12.)  Desperate  as  was  the  enmity  between 
Herod  and  Pilate,  their  hatred  to  God  was  greater,  and  they 
could  agree  to  be  "friends"  and  combine  their  forces  against 
God's  Son.  (Rom.  viii.  7;  i.  30.)  (/),  Men  and  devils  by 
all  their  rage  and  cunning  in  resisting  God  only  fulfil  his 
purposes.  (Verse  28.)  (g),  These  purposes  are  not  permis- 
sive only  ("thy  hand  and  thy  counsel"),  "but  such  a  permis- 
sion as  hath  joined  with  it  a  most  wise  and  powerful  bound- 
ing and  otherwise  ordering  and  governing  of  them  in  a  mani- 
fold dispensation  to  his  own  holy  ends."  (Confession  of 
Faith,  Ch.  v.,  Art.  4.     Compare  on  Acts  ii.  23.) 

The  same  word  {nmci)  is  rendered  "servant"  in  verse  25, 
and  "  child  "  in  verse  30.     "  Servant "  is  the  best  rendering  in 

'  The  assertion  is  without  any  proof,  and,  in  itself,  to  the  last  degree  im- 
probable.    (See  Alexander,  in  loco.) 

-  Verse  27.  Note  now  the  opposition  of  that  portion  of  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple which  persecuted  the  apostles  is  taken  as  representing  the  whole. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  95 

both  places.  It  corresponds  to  "  Ebed  "  in  the  phrase  "  Ebed- 
Jehovah  "  in  the  later  prophecies  of  Isaiah  (chapters  xl.-lxvi.), 
where  it  means  sometimes  Israel,  and  sometimes  its  head, 
the  Messiah.  (See  Isaiah  xlii.  1-4,  and  compare  Matthew 
xii.  17-21.) 

Vs.  31.  Shaking  of  the  place.  Compare  Virgil's  ^rieidy 
III.,  90-92: 

' '  Vix  ea  fatus  eram ;  tremere  omnia  visa  repente, 
Liminaque  laurusque  Dei ;  totusque  moveri 
Mons  circum,  et  mugire  adytis  cortina  exclusis." 

Vs.  32-35.  Compare  Acts  ii.  42-47.  Another  general  de- 
scription of  the  life  of  the  church,  in  which  the  concord  and 
communion  of  believers  is  made  conspicuous.  Here  observe, 
(a),  This  is  not  a  description  of  a  socialistic  ^^/uz/a/i.s^fere  in 
which  the  rights  of  property  have  been  abolished.  "No  man 
was  accustomed  to  say  (ihye)  that  aught  of  the  things  he 
possessed  was  his  own."  "  Saj  "  is  the  emphatic  word.  "3fy 
house,"  "my  lands,"  "7/iy  money,"  etc.,  were  expressions  no 
longer  heard.  Every  man  considered  himself  a  steward  of 
God  for  the  good  of  his  brethren.  As  regarded  man's  law, 
the  property  was  still  his  who  possessed  it ;  but  in  the  pos- 
sessor's esteem  it  belonged  to  any  of  his  poor  brethren  who 
stood  in  need  of  it.  The  rights  of  property  continued  to  be 
recognized  by  the  apostles.  (Acts  v.  4.)  (b),  The  state  of 
things  here  described  was  not  intended  to  be  loiiversal  cr 
'permanent.  We  find  it  in  no  other  church  in  that  age,  and 
it  does  not  seem  to  have  been  permanent  in  the  church  of 
Jerusalem.  It  is  easy  to  see  that  great  evils  might  have 
arisen  from  the  continuance  of  it.  (See  2  Thess.  iii.  6-14 ; 
1  Tim.  V.  13.)  Our  Saviour  never,  except  in  two  instances, 
worked  a  miracle  to  supply  people  with  bread ;  and  his  wis- 
dom has  been  amply  justified  by  the  history  of  institutions 
for  the  relief  of  mere  indigence.  The  curse,  "in  the  sweat 
of  thy  face,"  etc.,  has  been  overruled  for  the  prevention  of 
great  evils.     See  Chalmers'  essay  On  the  Difference  in  Prin- 


96  Miscellanies. 

ciple  and  Effect  heiween  a  Public  Institution  for  the  Relief 
of  Indigence  and  a  Public  Institution  for  the  Relief  of 
Disease.  (<?),  This  extraordinary  xoivcovca  was  intended,  no 
doubt,  as  a  "sign"  (see  on  Acts  ii.  11),  showing  the  reahty  of 
Christian  love  and  of  the  communion  of  saints,  a  pledge  and 
earnest  of  the  consummation;  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit. 
(Rom.  viii.  23.) 

Vs.  33.  The  connection  between  active  love  in  the  church 
and  fervent  preaching  on  the  part  of  ministers  of  the  gospel. 
The  pulpit  is  often  made  to  bear  the  whole  blame,  when  the 
pew,  in  justice,  ought  to  bear  a  portion  of  it.  "Great  favor 
was  upon  them  all,"  the  favor  both  of  God  and  man.  (Com- 
pare Acts  ii.  47;  see  Prov.  xvi.  7.)  Hence,  vs.  34,  the  force 
of  the  "yccf),''  not  noticed  in  our  King  James'  Version.  This 
particle,  like  "for"  in  English,  has  two  senses:  (1),  As  indi- 
cating the  cause  of  the  existence  of  a  thing  {principiutn  es- 
sendi) ;  and  (2),  As  indicating  the  cause  of  our  hnowing  a 
thing  to  be  {principium  cognoscendi^.  The  first  indicates 
an  argument  from  cause  to  effect:  thus,  "This  gun  is  a  good 
one,  for  it  has  gone  through  such  and  such  processes  under 
a  skillful  metallurgist."  The  second  indicates  an  argument 
from  a  sign:  "This  gun  is  good, /br  it  has  been  loaded  to 
the  muzzle  and  fired,  and  it  did  not  burst."  (See  Whately's 
Annotations  on  Bacons  Essays,  Essay  V.)  Or,  to  use  an- 
other illustration  of  Whately  {logic):  (cause),  "The  ground 
is  wet, /"or  it  rained  last  night";  (sign),  "It  rained  last  night, 
for  the  ground  is  wet."  So  here,  the  favor  of  God  was  upon 
them  (cause),  and,  therefore,  none  of  them  lacked.  The  fact 
that  none  lacked  was  a  "sign"  that  the  favor  of  God  was 
upon  them.  The  fact  that  none  lacked  was  the  cause  of 
man's  favor  to  them.  Compare  Acts  viii.  39:  "The  eunuch 
saw  him  no  more,  for  he  was  going  on  his  way  rejoicing." 
The  joy  of  the  eunuch  was  the  cause  of  his  not  seeing  the 
evangelist;  he  was  so  absorbed  in  the  joy  of  his  conversion 
as  not  to  think  of  the  instrument  of  it ;  or  the  eunuch's  going 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  97 

on  his  way  was  the  evidence  of  the  absence  of  Philip;  had, 
Philip  continued  with  him,  he  would  not  have  gone  on  his  way. 

Vs.  35.  ^'At  the  feet  of  the  apostles^  Put  at  the  disposal 
of  the  apostles.  So  the  deacons  in  the  church  now  disburse 
the  revenues  of  the  church  under  the  direction  of  the  session. 

Vs.  36.  The  Levites  had  no  inheritance  in  land.  (Num. 
xviii.  20;  Dent,  xviii.  1.)  Barnabas,  therefore,  in  selling  this 
property  was  coming  back  to  the  original  law  of  Israel  as 
God  had  ordained  it.     (Baumgarten.) 


CHAPTEE  V. 

XL    The  Fiest   Great  Internal  Trouble   and   Peril. 
(Verses  1-16.) 

But  a  certain  man  named  Ananias,  with  Sapphira,  his  wife,    1 
sold  a  possession,  and  kept  back  part  of  the  price,  his  wife  also    2 
beiug  privy  to  it,  and  brought  a  certain  part,  and  laid  it  at  the 
apostles'  feet.     But  Peter  said,  Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  filled    3 
thy  heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  keep  back  part  of  the 
price  of  the  land  ?     Whiles  it  remained,  did  it  not  remain  thine    4 
own?  and  after  it  was  sold,  was  it  not  in  thy  power?     How 
is  it  that  thou  hast  conceived  this  thing  in   thy  heart?   thou 
hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but  unto  God.     And  Ananias  hearing    5 
these  words  fell  down  and  gave  up  the  ghost:  and  great  fear 
came  upon  all  that  heard  it.     And  the  young  men  arose  and    6 
wrapped  him  round,  and  they  carried  him  out  and  buried  him. 

And  it  was  about  the  space  of  three  hours  after,  when  his    7 
wife,  not  knowing  what  was  done,  came  in.     And  Peter  answered 
unto  her.  Tell  me  whether  ye  sold  the  land  for  so  much.     And    8 
she  said.  Yea,  for  so  much.     But  Peter  said  unto  her,  How  is  it    9 
that  ye  have  agreed  together  to  tempt  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  ? 
behold,  the  feet  of  them  which  have  buried  thy  husband  are  at 
the  door,  and  they  shall  carry  thee  out.     And  she  fell  down  im-  10 
mediately  at  his  feet,  and  gave  up  the  ghost:  and  the  young 
men  came  in  and  found  her  dead,  and  they  carried  her  out  and 
buried  her  by  her  husband.     And  great  fear  came  upon  the  11 
whole  church,  and  upon  all  that  heard  these  things. 

And  by  the  hands  of  the  apostles  were  many  signs  and  won-  12 
ders  wrought  among  the  people;  and  they  were  all  with  one 
accord  in  Solomon's  porch.     But  of  the  rest  durst  no  man  join  13 
7 


98  Miscellanies. 

14  himself  to  them :  howbeit  the  people  magnified  them ;  and  be- 
lievers were  the  more  added  to  the  Lord,  multitudes  both  of 

15  men  and  women ;  insomuch  that  they  even  carried  out  the  sick 
into  the  streets,  and  laid  them  on  bed-s  and  couches,  that,  as  Peter 
came  by,  at  the  least  his  shadow  migbt  overshadow  some  one  of 

16  them.  And  there  also  came  together  the  multitude  from  the 
cities  round  about  Jerusalem,  bringing  sick  folk,  and  them  that 
were  vexed  with  unclean  sj)irits :  and  they  were  healed  every  one. 

Ys.  2.  "Z«^V/,"  .  .  .  "■apostles'''  Thus,  as  Calvin  says, 
"honoring  the  feet  of  the  apostles  more  than  the  eyes  of 
God."  The  essence  of  the  crime  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira, 
according  to  Calvin,  is  the  attempt  to  deceive  God  and  the 
church  with  a  feigned  oblation,  which  involved  contempt  of 
God,  a  sacrilegious  fraud,  perverse  vanity  and  ambition,  un- 
belief, the  corruption  and  abuse  of  a  holy  ordinance,  hypoc- 
risy, and  an  obstinate  boldness  in  lying.  It  is  very  evident 
that  this  sin  may  be  committed  now,  and  there  is  good  rea- 
son to  fear  that  it  is  not  uncommon. 

Vs.  3.  "  Satan  hath  filled  thine  hearth  (Compare  Luke 
Xxii.  3  ;  John  xiii.  27.)  Satan  can  make  the  object  of  sinful 
desire  fill  the  whole  field  of  vision ;  a  dime  may  be  held  so 
close  to  the  eye  as  to  shut  out  of  view  the  whole  heavens. 
(Gen.  iii.  6.)  The  fish  sees  nothing  but  the  ImiH  (which  seems 
the  image  in  James  i.  14,  in  the  Greek).  Judas  saw  nothing 
but  the  "valuable  consideration,"  which  itself  turned  out  to 
be  a  delusion.  (Matt,  xxvii.  5.)  Note,  how  strong  soever  the 
temptation,  he  who  yields,  sins;  no  man  can  be  forced  to 
sin,  even  by  the  power  of  Satan.^  Hence,  all  excuses  are 
vain.  (Gen.  iii.  11,  12.)  Indeed,  the  very  thing  that  makes 
the  temjjtation  strong  is  often  the  sinfulness  of  the  tempted 
person.  What  is  an  irresistible  temptation  to  a  thief  is  no 
temptation  to  an  honest  man.  The  only  safety  for  the 
tempted  is  to  keep  God  and  his  word  in  view;  let  them  "fill 
the  heart,"  and  there  will  be  no  room  for  Satan.     (Gen.  xxxix. 

'  Compare  verse  4,  "  conceived  ...  in  the  heart."  Ananias  conceived 
the  thing  in  his  heart,  while  Satan  filled  his  heart. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  99 

9;  Ps.  cxix.  11.)  "  To  the  Holy  Ghost. T  A  lie  is  only  pos- 
sible between  person  and  person.  A  person  only  can  lie,  and 
a  person  only  can  be  lied  to.  The  Holy  Ghost,  therefore,  is 
as  really  a  person  as  Ananias  was  a  person.  The  Holy  Ghost 
is  represented  here  as  the  main  object  of  this  sin,  because,  1, 
It  was  a  sin  against  God  in  the  matter  of  worship,  and  all 
true  worship  is  by  the  Spirit.  (Eph.  ii.  18.)  It  would  seem 
that  the  assembly  in  which  Ananias  appeared  was  one  con- 
vened for  worship,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  presides  in  all  such 
assemblies.  2.  It  involved  contempt  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in 
the  persons  of  the  apostles,  who  were  filled  with  the  Spirit. 
3.  It  involved  special  guilt,  because  it  was  a  pretension  to  an 
extraordinary  measure  of  the  Spirit's  influence,  and  exposed 
the  whole  work  of  the  Spirit  in  the  extraordinary  liberality 
of  the  church  to  the  reproach  of  hypocrisy. 

Vs.  4.  (a).  Proof  that  there  was  no  "communism"  in  the 
church  at  Jerusalem.  The  property  of  Ananias  was  under 
his  own  control,  to  sell  or  not ;  and  after  it  was  sold  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  sale  were  his.  (J),  The  divinity  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  as  well  as  his  personaUty.     (Compare  verse  3.) 

Vs.  5.  Death  inflicted  by  God,^  apparently  without  the 
foreknowledge  of  Peter.  Not  so  in  the  case  of  his  wife 
(verse  9). 

'  By  the  word  of  Peter,  or  rather  of  the  Spirit;  note,  (a),  The  eflQcacy  of 
God's  word.  (2  Cor.  ii.  16.)  lu  the  body  of  Ananias  we  have  a  visible 
symbol  of  that  punishment  which  escapes  the  eye  of  man.  It  is  slain  not 
by  the  sword  or  violence  or  hand,  but  by  the  hearing  of  a  voice.  (See 
Isa.  xl.  4.)  (6),  The  punishment  will  seem  too  severe  only  to  those  who 
weigh  the  sin  of  Ananias  in  their  own  scales,  and  not  in  the  scales  of  God. 
(c),  As  God  exhibited  by  external  miraculous  signs  the  reality  of  the 
Spirit's  work  in  the  salvation  of  men,  so  here  by  external  signs  the  reality 
and  horribleness  of  the  judgment  that  awaits  the  hypocrite  hereafter. 
(Calvin,  in  loc.) 

Note :  If  Sapphira  had  been  with  her  husband,  and  had  agreed  with 
him  in  the  denial  of  the  crime,  her  sin  might  have  been  set  down  to  the 
account  of  her  modest  refusal  to  contradict  her  husband ;  but  as  she  came 
in  by  herself,  the  sin  was  evidently  her  own.     The  events  were  so  ordered 


100  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  6.  "  The  young  vienr  Deacons,  says  Mosheim.  (Com- 
pare 1  Tim.  V.  1 ;  1  Peter  v.  1-5.)     Doubtful. 

Vs.  8.  Peter's  question,  as  all  that  lie  now  said,  was  dictated 
by  the  Spirit.  The  sin  was  in  the  heart  of  Sapphira,  and  the 
purpose  of  making  a  false  profession.  The  question  only 
brought  it  out  a  little  sooner. 

Vs.  9.  (a),  The  aggravation  of  a  sin  which  is  committed  by 
agreeTYient,  as  showing  that  it  was  deliberate  and  as  involv- 
ing a  mutual  encouragement  and  solicitation  to  sin.  (J),  The 
sin  here  called  a  tempting  (a  putting  to  the  proof)  "of  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord"  (Christ).  (See  1  Cor.  x.  9;  Num.  xxi. 
5  ff. ;  and  compare  Ex.  xvii.  2 ;  Deut.  vi.  16 ;  Matt.  iv.  7.)  We 
tempt  God  whenever  we  do  anything  which  implies  a  dis- 
belief or  doubt  of  his  power,  wisdom,  faithfulness,  etc.,  espe- 
cially in  reference  to  his  promises  or  his  threatenings.  The 
sin  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira  was  a  most  audacious  putting 
to  the  proof  of  the  knowledge,  the  power,  the  holiness  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  (c).  The  sentence  against  Sapphira.  (Com- 
pare verse  5.) 

Vs.  10.  The  execution  of  the  sentence. 

Vs.  11.  The  effect  upon  the  church  and  upon  the  world. 
'^  Fea7\"  (See  Rom.  xi.  20.)  This  example  ought  to  animate 
us  to  greater  liberality  towards  the  poor.  We  see  how  pre- 
cious is  alms  in  the  sight  of  God,  when  the  profanation  of  it 
was  so  severely  chastised.     (Calvin.) 

Compare  with  the  narrative  in  Joshua  (seventh  chapter)- 
The  "accursed"  thing  was  a  charem  (avadejia) — a  thing  de- 
voted to  God  for  destruction.  (Lev.  xxvii.  28,  29.)  The  sin 
of  Achan  was,  therefore,  a  sacrilegious  theft.  So  here,  Ana- 
nias and  Sapphira  professed  to  have  devoted  the  whole  price 

by  Providence  as  to  impress  the  church  with  greater  horror  of  the  crime. 
(See  Calvin  in  loc.) 

Note  the  light  thrown  on  the  question  discussed  in  the  Book  of  Job. 
We  have  no  right  to  infer  merely  from  suffering  any  special  sin ;  but  when 
a  special  judgment  follows  a  kiKncn  sin  (as  here),  we  have  a  right  to  regard 
that  judgment  as  sent  for  the  sin. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  101 

of  the  land  to  God.  It  was  au  avadejia^  devoted  to  God  for 
his  use.  The  embezzlement  of  the  part  which  was  kept  back 
was  pt'o  tanto  an  act  of  sacrilege.  The  sin  of  Achan  was 
made  an  example  of  in  the  beginning  of  the  Mosaic  worship ; 
the  sin  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira  in  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  worship.  Covetousness  was  at  the  root  of  both. 
Moral:  See  Luke  xii.  15;  Heb.  xiii.  5,  6;  1  Tim.  vi.  5-10;  1 
Cor.  vi.  10.  Covetousness  is  the  most  insidious  of  all  sins. 
The  covetous  man  is  seldom  conscious  that  he  is  so.  Francis 
de  Sales,  who  confessed  a  great  multitude  of  people  in  his 
day,  said  that  nobody  had  ever  confessed  the  sin  of  covet- 
ousness to  him. 

Ys.  12-16.  Compare  Acts  ii.  43 ;  iv.  33,  and  see  Rom.  viii. 
28.  All  events  seem  to  advance  the  prosperity  of  the  church, 
so  great  was  its  vitality.  External  hostility,  internal  corrup- 
tion, are  overruled  for  good;  grace  is  rewarded  with  more 
grace.     Happy  church! 

Ys.  12.  ^' Soloinoris  joorchy  See  x4.cts  iii.  11  and  John  x. 
23 ;  compare  Acts  ii.  43  and  Acts  iv.  33  for  the  connection 
between  the  spiritual  condition  of  the  church  and  the  display 
of  God's  power.  '^  Air"  The  apostles  and  the  body  of  be- 
lievers, or  the  apostles  alone,  perhaps.  The  '^rest"  of  verse 
13  is  to  be  interpreted  accordingly ;  either  those  beside  the 
apostles  or  those  beside  the  body  of  believers,  the  Xao::  as 
distinguished  from  the  exxAr^aca.  The  "joining"  here,  as  the 
word  denotes,  is  close  contact  (physical) ;  the  death  of  Ana- 
nias and  Sapphira  made  the  people  shy  of  coming  into  close 
contact  with  the  apostles.  It  did  not  prevent  them  from 
"joining  the  church,"  as  verse  14  shows. 

Ys.  14.  "  Women."  First  mention  of  women  as  members  of 
the  church.  "  The  raore  added.'"  The  judgments  of  God 
upon  ofienders  in  the  church,  whether  immediately  and 
miraculously  or  in  way  of  ordained  and  regular  discipline, 
does  not  hinder  a  wholesome  increase  of  its  numbers.  "  To 
the  Lord."      The   church  is  his   body,  and  that  body  will 


102  Miscellanies. 

continue  to  grow  until  the  "perfect  man"  (Eph.  iv.  13)  is 
reached. 

Vs.  15.  ^'^ lyisomuch  that''  [coaze,  ecbatic  with  the  infinitive). 
The  bringing  out  of  the  sick  was  the  result  of  the  people's 
magnifying  the  apostles  and  an  instance  of  it.  ^^  Brought 
ouf  (from  the  houses)  "into'"  (or  "down"  or  "along")  the 
"streets"  "couches"  ("litters"  or  "stretchers").  The 
"shadow"  of  Peter  was  no  more  efficacious  in  itself  than 
any  other  shadow;  but  was  made  so  only  because  he  was  an 
apostle,  and  for  the  attestation  of  his  commission  as  such. 
There  is  no  evidence  of  superstition  on  the  part  of  the 
people ;  they  were  honoring  the  Lord's  ambassador. 

Vs.  16.  "  Unclean  spirits."  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  Luke 
never  uses  the  word  daciiowov  in  this  book  in  the  sense  of  an 
evil  spirit  (Acts  xvii.  18  is  no  exception),  while  he  uses  it 
constantly  in  his  Gospel.     (Lechler,  in  loc.) 

XII.  The  First  Suffering  of  the  Apostles.     (Vs.  17-42.) 

17  But  the  high  priest  rose  up,  and  all  they  that  were  with 
him   (which    is   the    sect   of  the    Sadducees),  and   they  were 

18  filled  with  jealousy,  and  laid  hands  on  the  apostles,  and  put 

19  them   in   public  ward.     But  an  angel  of  the  Lord  by  night 

20  opened  the  prison  doors,  and  brought  them  out,  and  said,  Go 
ye,  and  stand  and  speak  in  the  temple  to  the  people  all  the 

21  words  of  this  Life.  And  when  they  heard  this,  they  entered 
into  the  temple  about  daybreak,  and  taught.  But  the  high 
priest  came,  and  they  that  were  with  him,  and  called  the  coun- 
cil together,  and  all  the  senate  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and 

22  sent  to  the  prison-house  to  have  them  brought.  But  the  ofl&cers 
that  came  found  them  not  in  the  prison ;  and  they  returned, 

23  and  told,  saying.  The  prison-house  we  found  shut  in  all  safety, 
and   the   keepers   standing  at  the  doors :    but  when  we  had 

24  opened,  we  found  no  man  within.  Now  when  the  captain  of 
the  temple  and  the  chief  priests  heard  these  words,  they  were 
much  perplexed  concerning  them  whereunto  this  would  grow. 

25  And  there  came  one  and  told  them,  Behold,  the  men  whom  ye 
put  in  the  prison  are  in  the  temple  standing  and  teaching  the 

26  people.  Then  went  the  captain  with  the  officers,  and  brought 
them,  but  without  violence;    for  they  feared  the  people,  lest 

27  they  should  be  stoned.      And  when  they  had  brought  them. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  10? 

they  set  them  before  the  council.     And  the  high  priest  asked 
them,  saying,   We  straitly  chai'ged  you  not  to  teach  in  this  28 
name:  and  behold, ye  have  filled  Jerusalem  with  your  teaching, 
and  intend  to  bring  this  man's  blood  upon  us.     But  Peter  and  29 
the  apostles  answered  and  said,    We  must  obey  God  rather  30 
than  men.     The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus,  whom  ye 
slew,  hanging  him  on  a  tree.     Him  did  God  exalt  with  his  right  31 
hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  for  to  give  repentance  to 
Israel,  and  remission  of  sins.     And  we  are  witnesses  of  these  32 
things;   and  so  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  God  hath  given  to 
them  that  obey  him. 

But  they,  when  they  heard  this,  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  33 
were  minded  to  slay  them.     But  there  stood  up  one  in  the  34 
council,  a  Pharisee,  named  Gamaliel,  a  doctor  of  the  law,  had 
in  honour  of  all  the  people,  and  commanded  to  put  the  men 
forth  a  little  while.     And  he  said  unto  them,  Ye  men  of  Israel,  35 
take  heed  to  youi'selves  as  touching  these  men,  what  ye  are 
about  to  do.      For  before  these  days  rose  up  Theudas,  giving  36 
himself  out  to  be  somebody ;  to  whom  a  number  of  men,  about 
four  hundred,  joined  themselves:   who  was  slain;   and  all,  as 
many  as  obeyed  him,  w^ere   dispersed,   and  came   to   nought.  37 
After  this  man  rose  up  Judas  of  Galilee  in  the  days  of  the  en- 
rolment, and  drew  away  some  of  the  people  after  him:  he  also 
perished;    and  all,  as   many  as   obeyed    him,  were    scattered 
abroad.      And  now  I  say  unto  you.  Refrain  from  these  men,  38 
and  let  them  alone:  for  if  this  counsel  or  this  work  be  of  men, 
it  will  be  overthrown :  but  if  it  is  of  God,  ye  will  not  be  able  to  39 
overthrow  them ;    lest  haply  ye  be  found  even  to  be  fighting 
against  God.     And  to  him  they  agreed :    and  when  they  had  40 
called  the  apostles  unto  them,  they  beat  them  and  charged 
them  not  to  speak  in  the  name  of  Jesus,   and  let  them  go. 
They  therefore  departed  from  the  presence  of  the  council,  re-  41 
joicing  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  dishonor  for  the 
Name.     And  every  day,  in  the  temple  and  at  home,  they  ceased  42 
not  to  teach  and  to  preach  Jesus  as  the  Christ. 

Vs.  17.  "  The  Sadchicees"  (See  on  Acts  iv.  1  above.) 
" In di (/nation ."  Rather  "jealousy,"  or  "party-spirit." 
Vs.  18.  "  Co^nmon prison.""  Or  "public  ward." 
Vs.  19.  ''An  "  (not  "  the  ")  "  a7igel  of  the  Lord."  The  ai-ticle 
is  absent.  The  absence  of  the  article  before  Kooco:  is  to  be 
explained  by  the  fact  that  K'joio;  is  used  as  a  proper  name.  If 
the  angel  here  is  "the  angel  of  Jehovah"  so  often  mentioned 


104  Miscellanies. 

in  the  Old  Testament,  the  absence  of  the  article  must  be  ex- 
plained by  the  Hebrew  idiom,  which  omits  the  article  before 
a  noun  governing  another  noun,  as  in  the  very  title  of  "the 
angel  of  Jehovah  "  in  the  Old  Testament.  (Alexander,  in  loco.) 
Note,  as  to  the  ministry  of  this  angel,  it  is  a  miraculous 
"sign"  of  what  is  true  and  real  all  the  time,  whether  we  see 
it  or  not.  (See  Heb.  i.  14,  and  compare  Psalm  xxxiv.  7 ;  xci. 
11-13.)  When,  therefore,  God  does  not  deliver  his  people 
who  are  in  the  path  of  duty,  it  is  because  he  has  something 
better  in  store  for  them  and  the  church.  (Compare  this  pas- 
sage and  Acts  xii.  7  ff.,  with  John  xxi.  18,  and  Peter's  case  in 
the  twelfth  chapter  of  this  book  with  that  of  James  in  verse  2, 
and  his  brother  John's  in  John  xxi.  22.) 

Vs.  20.  "  Worch  (if  this  life.'"  How  great  the  difference 
between  the  words  of  Christ  and  the  words  of  a  Socrates  or 
an  Aristotle !  What  follower  of  either  of  these  great  teachers 
ever  got  life  from  him ;  deliverance  from  the  curse,  pollution 
and  bondage  of  sin,  on  the  one  hand,  and,  on  the  other,  like- 
ness to  God  and  communion  with  God?  But  Christ  gives 
life  by  his  words.     (John  vi.  63,  68.) 

Ys.  21.  ''Council  and  senate.'''  The  "council"  (or  "San- 
hedrim") was  a  body  whose  constituents  were  more  definitely 
ascertained  than  those  of  the  "  senate,"  this  last  being,  prob- 
ably, a  general  gathering  of  the  eldership  on  some  special 
occasion,  like  the  Great  Consistory  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church.  (See  Alexander,  in  loco.)  Compare  with  Yepooaca 
here  7rf)£(Tj3i)T£(>:ou  in  Acts  xxii.  5  and  in  Luke  xxii.  66. 

Vs.  24.  Note,  "The  word  of  God  is  not  bound."  (2  Tim. 
ii.  9.)  Men  may  think  that,  because  they  have  shut  up  the 
preachers,  they  have  gained  their  purpose ;  but  the  truth 
has  no  flesh  and  bones,  and  cannot  be  confined.  Its  subtle, 
ethereal  nature  will  pervade  the  air.  The  spirit  of  John  the 
Baptist's  testimony  pervaded  the  banqueting-hall  of  Herod 
Antipas  and  the  closet  of  Herodias ;  its  cry  made  itself 
heard  above  the  noise  of  revelry ;  and  the  death  of  the  wit- 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  105 

ness  was  a  vaiu  attempt  to  hush  it.  The  guards  standing 
before  the  doors,  and  the  secure  bolts  and  bars,  when  there 
was  no  one  within,  furnish  a  lively  image  of  the  deception 
which  the  enemies  of  the  gospel  practice  upon  themselves. 
Diocletian  boasted  that  he  had  exterminated  Christianity, 
and  in  less  than  a  score  of  years  it  was  seated  on  the  throne 
of  the  Caesars.  "They  doubted"  (or  were  perplexed),  etc. 
Blind  wretches,  not  to  understand  such  a  aejxecov  as  this! 
Compare  the  case  of  Pharaoh  under  the  signs  wrought  by 
Moses. 

Vs.  28.  Two  accusations  are  brought  against  the  apostles 
by  the  high  priest:  (1),  That  they  had  disobeyed  the  decree; 
(2),  That  they  intended  to  bring  the  blood  of  Jesus  upon 
them.  As  to  the  first,  it  was  a  suflicieut  answer  that  God 
must  be  obeyed  rather  than  man.  (See  on  Acts  iv.  19.) '  As 
to  the  second,  note,  {a),  That  the  rulers  had  already  impre- 
cated the  blood  of  Jesus  upon  themselves  and  their  children 
(Matt,  xxvii.  25),  an  imprecation  sure  to  be  fulfilled  (Matt. 
xxiii.  35 ;  1  Thess.  ii.  16),  and  actually  fulfilled,  as  we  know 
from  Josephus  and  from  the  whole  history  of  the  Jews;  {b), 
The  preaching  of  the  apostles  was,  in  great  part,  the  means 
of  bringing  the  blood  of  Jesus  upon  the  Jews  by  exasperat- 
ing their  enmity.  The  people  are,  at  this  juncture,  on  the 
side  of  the  apostles,  and  against  their  rulers  (verse  26) ;  but^ 
after  the  preaching  of  Stephen,  they  also  become  enemies, 
and  provoke  the  vengeance  of  God.  (c).  But  it  was  false  to 
say  that  the  apostles  "intended"  this  result.  They  labored 
to  avert  the  doom  by  laboring  for  the  salvation  of  those  who 
had  crucified  the  Messiah,  {d),  The  Lord  knows  how  to  fill 
the  minds  of  his  enemies  with  fear. 

Vs.  30,  31.  Note  the  contrast,  in  which  Peter  delights,  be- 
tween the  treatment  which  his  Master  received  from  man  and 
the  treatment  which  he  received  from  God :  (a),  He  was  ex- 

'  Socrates,  in  his  defence,  said  to  his  judges,  "  Trecao/uLai  Ss  /laXkuv  t?ea> 
r;  utuv."     (Plato,  Apol.,  29  D.) 


106  Miscellanies. 

alted  to  be  a  Savio%ir ;  (h),  He  bestows  salvation  as  a  jDrince^ 
or  king,  having  procured  it  as  a  priest  by  his  sacrifice.  The 
Holy  Ghost  was  given  him  as  the  reward  of  his  sacrifice  and 
humiliation,  in  order  to  be  shed  forth  upon  his  redeemed. 
(Acts  ii.  33;  compare  John  vii.  39.)  (c),  Salvation  consists 
of  two  ihin^^,  repentance  Skn({  remission  of  sins.  "Repent- 
ance "  includes  the  whole  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  us,  the 
entire  transformation  of  our  whole  nature,  beginning  in  our 
regeneration,  and  implying,  while  we  are  in  the  body,  a  con- 
stant sorrowing  for  sin  and  turning  away  from  it.  (See  on 
Acts  ii.  38,  supra.)  "Remission  of  sins"  includes  justifica- 
tion and  all  that  concerns  the  change  in  our  relations  to  God 
and  his  law,  as  the  grace  of  "adoption."  It  includes  all  that 
creates  our  title  to  the  inheritance,  as  repentance  includes 
all  that  constitutes  our  fitness  to  enjoy  it,  and,  therefore,  the 
evidence  of  our  title.  (Compare  Matt.  xxv.  34-36;  1  John 
iii.  14;  Rev.  xxii.  14.)  (d),  This  salvation  is  bestowed  by 
Jesus — not  the  power  or  capacity  to  be  saved,  but  salvation 
itself;  not  the  power  to  repent,  but  repentance  itself.  He 
(/ives  repentance  and  remission  of  sins,  (e),  It  is  givefi  to  Is- 
rael, the  elect  of  God.  (See  1  Chron.  xvi.  13 ;  Psalm  cv.  6 ; 
Isa.  xliii.  20 ;  xlv.  4.)  It  is  offered  to  all  the  children  of  men 
who  hear  the  gospel.  (Isa.  Iv.  1 ;  Matt.  xi.  28 ;  Rev.  xxii. 
18.) 

Ys.  32.  Proof  that  Jesus  has  been  exalted  thus  to  be  a 
Saviour:  (a),  Testimony  of  the  apostles,  who  are  witnesses 
of  Christ's  resurrection  and  of  his  ascension  into  heaven,  and 
were  commissioned  to  testify  that  he  had  been  exalted  for 
this  purpose ;  (b).  Testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  form 
of  miracles,  which  attested  the  commission  of  the  apostles, 
and  the  reality  of  the  gift  of  "  repentance  unto  life."  (Com- 
pare Acts  X.  36-48.)    No  rational  account  can  be  given  of  the 

'  Compare  Acts  iii.  15 ;  Heb.  ii.  10 ;  xii.  2,  where  the  same  Greek  word 
(apyjiYo^i)  is  used. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  107 

change  in  tlie  bearing  of  the  apostles  after  Pentecost,  and  of 
the  change  in  Sanlof  Tarsus,  if  the  reahty  of  a  special,  direct 
and  supernatural  divine  power  be  denied.  Either  deny  that 
this  Book  of  the  Acts  is  history  at  all,  or  acknowledge  the 
testimony  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  reality  of  the  resurrection 
of  Christ,  and  to  the  reality  of  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins. 

Note  that  the  Spirit  is  here  said  to  be  given  "to  them  that 
obey  him."  It  is  not  pertinent  here  to  raise  the  objection 
that  men  must  have  the  Spirit  in  order  truly  to  obey  God. 
The  apostle  is  speaking  of  those  visible  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
which  were  given  to  the  disciples  of  that  age  as  evidence  that 
they  had  obeyed,  had  repentance  and  remission  of  sins. 
The  doctrine  is  different  from  that  in  Kom.  viii.  16 ;  Gal.  iv. 
6 ;  1  John  iii.  24. 

Vs.  33.  "  Cut  to  the  hearf"  denotes,  probably,  a  mixture  of 
conscious  guilt  with  revengeful  wrath.  Compare  Actsvii.  54 
for  the  same  word,  and  for  another,  Acts  ii.  37.  "  Took 
counsel.'''     Formed  a  plan  or  purpose. 

Ys.  33-40.  The  argument  of  Gamaliel  is  to  be  considered 
as  an  argument  ad  hovihumi.  It  had  its  effect,  whether  sound 
or  not.  It  does  not  seem  to  be  sound  ;  but  the  narrative  is 
hot  responsible  for  its  soundness,  but  only  for  a  true  report 
of  it.  Gamahel  was  a  famous  scribe,  or  doctor  of  the  law,  of 
high  character,  and  with  a  mind  liberalized  by  Gentile  learn- 
ing :  most  famous  as  the  teacher  of  Saul  of  Tarsus.  Without 
dreaming  of  svich  a  purpose  or  result,  he  was  fashioning 
Paul  the  apostle — like  the  eagle  furnishing  a  feather  for  the 
arrow  by  which  itself  was  to  be  brought  to  the  earth.  The 
apparent  discrepancies  between  Gamaliel's  facts  and  the 
accounts  in  Josephus  have  been  made  the  ground  of  objec- 
tion to  Luke's  history,  very  absurdly.  For  even  if  no 
methods  of  reconciliation  had  been  proposed — methods  alto- 
gether reasonable — still  we  should  have  the  right  to  say  :  {a). 
That  they  are  GamalieVs  facts,  not  Lxike's.    Luke  is  only  the 


108  Miscellanies. 

reporter  of  the  speech,  and  was  not  bound  to  perform  the 
office  which  is  often  performed  by  modern  reporters,  that  of 
improving  the  speech;  (h),  Even  if  the  facts  were  Luke's,  and 
did  not  agree  with  those  of  Josephus,  why  should  the  infidel 
require  us  to  reconcile  Luke  with  Josephus?  Discounting 
the  question  of  inspiration,  Luke  is  at  least  as  credible  a 
historian  as  Josephus,  and  we  have  as  much  reason  for  re- 
quiring the  infidel  to  reconcile  Josephus  with  Luke  as  he 
for  requiring  us  to  reconcile  Luke  with  Josephus. 

As  to  Gamaliel's  argument — how  could  the  do-nothing 
policy  he  advises  be  recommended  by  the  examples  of  Theu- 
das  and  Judas  of  Galilee?  The  enterprises  of  both  came  to 
nought,  not  by  being  let  alone,  but  by  force  being  brought 
against  them.  Again,  so  shrewd  a  man  could  hardly  lay 
down  the  general  proposition  that  the  civil  magistrate  should 
put  down  no  disturbance  by  the  strong  arm,  and  the  rulers  of 
the  church  no  offences  by  discipline,  upon  the  ground  that 
all  evil,  having  God  against  it,  must  ultimately  fail.  This 
would  make  all  government  superfluous.  The  whole  effec- 
tiveness of  Gamaliel's  argument  lay  in  its  being  adapted  to 
those  who  did  not  know  what  to  do.  See  verse  24,  and  com- 
pare Acts  iv.  13-16.  Gamaliel's  point  is — if  you  know  not 
what  to  do,  do  nothing. 

As  to  Gamaliel's  own  state  of  mind,  verse  39  seems  to  indi- 
cate that  he  had  some  misgiving  that  to  oppose  the  apostles 
might  be  fighting  against  God.  [Compare  the  Greek  of  verse 
39  vdth  that  of  verse  38.  In  verse  38  iau  with  the  subjunc- 
tive ;  in  verse  39  ii  with  the  indicative  mood.  The  first  form, 
according  to  the  grammarians  (Webster's  Syntax  of  the  New 
Testarnent),  expressing  uncertainty,  with  some  small  amount 
of  probability — uncertainty  with  the  prospect  of  decision. 
'  Ec  with  the  indicative  expressing  possibility  without  the  ex- 
pression of  uncertainty.  If  in  this  last  form  av  was  used  in 
the  apodosis  as  well  as  zc  in  ih.e protasis,  the  implication  would 
be  that  the  condition  was  unfulfilled;  i.  e.,  that  the  thing  was 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  109 

not  of  God.  (Compare  Luke  vii.  39.)  But  Gamaliel  does 
not  go  that  far.] 

Ys.  40.  Notice  the  impotent  rage  and  malice  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim :  scourging  the  apostles. 

Vs.  41.  The  joy  of  the  apostles  in  being  permitted  to  suffer 
disgrace  for  the  name  of  their  Master.  Here  an  implied 
declaration  that  "the  name"  of  Jesus  sustains  the  same  rela- 
tion to  the  Christian  church  which  the  name  of  Jehovah  did 
to  the  Jewish.  Compare  Lev.  xxiv.  11,  16  for  the  use  of  the 
absolute  expression  of  "the  name."  See  Revised  Version  of 
the  New  Testament  on  verse  41,  and  above  on  chapter  iv.  7. 

Vs.  42.  The  revision  here  is  better  than  the  Authorized 
Version. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

XIII.  Institution  of  Deacons.  The  Second  Great  Inter- 
nal Trouble.  The  First  Discussion  Within  the 
Church.     (Verses  1-7.) 

Now  in  these  days,  when  the  number  of  the  disciples  was    1 
multiplying,  there  arose  a  murmuring  of   the  Grecian   Jews 
against  the  Hebrews,  because  their  widows  were  neglected  in 
the  daily  ministration.      And  the  twelve  called  the  multitude    2 
of   the  disciples  unto   them,   and  said.  It  is   not  fit   that  we 
should  forsake  the  word  of  God,  and  seiwe  tables.     Look  ye    3 
out  therefore,   brethren,  from  among  you  seven  men  of  good 
report,  full  of  the  Spirit  and  of  wisdom,  whom  we  may  ai> 
poiut  over   this   business.      But  we   will   continue   stedfastly    4 
in  prayer,  and  in  the  ministry  of  the  word.     And  the  saying    5 
pleased  the  whole  multitude:  and  they  chose  Stephen,  a  man 
full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  Philip,  and  Procho- 
rus,  and  Nicanor,  and  Timon,  and  Parmenas,  and  Nicolas  a 
proselyte  of  Antioch  :  whom  they  set  before  the  apostles  :  and    6 
when  they  had  prayed,  they  laid  their  hands  on  them. 

And  the  word  of  God  increased;  and  the  number  of  the  disci-    7 
pies  multiplied  in  Jerusalem  exceedingly;  and  a  great  company 
of  the  priests  were  obedient  to  the  faith. 

Vs.  1-7.  Note  here,  («),  Another  danger  from  Tvithin  and 
growing  like  the  last  (chapter  v.  1  ff.)  out  of  the  communion 


110  Miscellanies. 

of  the  saints  in  their  substance,  (l),  No  longer  an  individual 
difficulty,  but  one  growing  out  of  the  difference  of  language 
and  country.  If  this  difficulty  cannot  be  settled  in  a  church 
confined  to  a  single  nationality  and  a  single  city,  what  may 
be  expected  when  the  church  embraces  all  nations?  (c),  The 
insufficiency  of  the  apostolic  office  to  meet  it,  and  the  neces- 
sity of  a  new  provision.  (Compare  the  rise  of  the  Aaronic 
priesthood,  of  the  prophetical  order,  of  the  kingdom  in  the 
Old  Testament.)  The  church  is  developed  as  an  organism; 
its  organs  are  germinally  in  it  from  the  beginning,  but  they 
appear  gradually  as  they  are  wanted.  Note,  however,  that 
this  development  takes  place  under  the  direction  of  the  apos- 
tles, men  inspired  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and,  therefore,  ceases 
with  the  ag9  of  the  apostles.  The  post-apostolic  church  may 
not  invent  offices  and  ordinances  for  itself.  The  remedy  is 
found  in  and  furnished  by  the  church  itself — "look  ye  out."' 
(d),  The  happy  result:  the  word  grew,  and  even  the  order  of 
priests  furnished  recruits  for  the  church.  The  greatest  result 
was  the  ministry  of  Stephen,  who,  in  all  probability,  was 
brought  to  take  the  stand  he  did  by  the  discharge  of  his 
functions  as  deacon,  and  that  in  two  ways :  (1),  By  the  in- 
crease of  personal  grace;  (2),  By  being  brought  more  into 
contact  with  the  people  than  the  apostles  had  been.  Hence, 
we  find  the  people  changing  and  becoming  hostile,  hke  their 
rulers. 

Vs.  1.  "  When  the  numher  .  .  Tmdtipliedy  In  this  world 
things  are  sadly  "  out  of  joint."  Even  the  multiplication  of 
Christ's  disciples  is  attended  with  peril  to  the  church.  Gre- 
cians means  Jews  of  the  dispersion  who  spoke  Greek  in  contra- 
distinction from  the  Jews  who  dwelt  in  Palestine  and  spoke 
the  Aramaic  (Syro-Chaldaic)  language,  which  is  here  called, 
by  implication,  the  Hebrew,  though  that  tongue  ceased  to  be 

^  Note  the  bearing  of  this  upon  the  question  whether  the  church  may 
not  take  the  initiative  in  calling  a  man  to  the  ministry  of  the  word  as  well 
as  to  that  of  ruling  and  distributing. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  Ill 

vernacular  after  the  captivity.  The  Jews  who  spoke  Greek 
are  in  the  English  version  called  "Grecians,"^  to  distinguish 
them  from  the  Gentile,  or  proper  Greeks.  Compare  2  Cor. 
xi.  22,  where  "Israelite"  equals  son  of  Israel,  or  Jacob; 
"Hebrew"  equals  Ai'arnceai^,  as  distinguished  from  a  Helle- 
nistic Israelite.  Paul  was  a  Grecian  as  to  his  place  of  birth, 
and  spoke  Greek;  but  he  was  an  Arcwicean  as  to  his  theolog- 
ical type.  (See  Conybeare  and  Howson's  St.  Paul,  chapter  i.) 
The  "Grecians"  were  naturally  less  favored  than  the  "He- 
brews" in  the  daily  "ministrations,"  whether  of  money  or 
victuals.  (See  Acts  iv.  35.)  We  know  not  how  this  distri- 
bution was  made.  It  was  under  the  general  supervision  and 
control  of  the  apostles,  without  doubt  (see  Acts  iv.  35,  above), 
but  it  is  not  at  all  likely  that  they  were  the  actual  distribu- 
tors, as  it  would  have  interfered  with  their  proper  work. 
(See  verses  2,  4.)  It  may  have  been  done  by  Hebrew  officers 
appointed  or  recognized  by  the  apostles,  or  by  persons  in- 
formally requested  to  perform  the  merely  ministerial  func- 
tion.    At  any  rate,  it  was  very  imperfectly  done. 

Ys.  2.  The  apostles  do  not  decide  the  matter  and  prescribe 
the  remedy  by  naked  authority.  They  might  have  said  to 
the  mass  of  disciples,  You  have  gotten  into  trouble  among 
yourselves,  and  this  shows  that  you  are  unfit  to  be  trusted ; 
we,  therefore,  will  take  the  business  into  our  own  hands  and 
order  it  all  without  your  consent  or  cooperation.  No!  they 
call  the  mass  {jzhfio^i)  together,  and  tell  them  that  they  (the 
apostles)  cannot  do  what  is  to  be  done,  because  it  would  in- 
volve their  leaving  the  word  of  God,  which  is  their  proper  work  \ 
that  "the  serving  of  tables"*  is  incompatible  with  the  serving 
of  the  word;^  that,  moreover,  they  intend  to  stick  to  their 
work,  to  continue  and  persevere  {7ipoaxa()reprjaop.ev,  verse  4)  in 

'  Corresponding  to  Ellrfjiffzai ;  "Greek"  corresponding  to  EXXrjve?. 
*  dca/ji'^elv  rpaTri^at-;  (verse  2). 

^  This  seems  to  imply  that  they  had  never  left  the  word  to  act  as  di&- 
tributors  or  deacons. 


112  Miscellanies. 

the  service  of  the  word,  whatever  comes  of  it ;  that  they  (the 
people)  must  choose  men  to  attend  to  the  matter,  and  when 
they  shall  have  thus  exercised  their  choice  the  apostles  will 
confirm  their  act  by  formally  constituting  the  chosen  over  the 
business,  or,  as  we  say,  "ordaining"  them  to  the  work.  As 
a  guide  for  the  people  in  making  a  choice,  the  apostles  state 
what  the  qualifications'  of  the  jjerson  ought  to  be. 

Vs.  5.  The  proposal  of  the  apostles  pleased  "the  whole 
mass";  and  they  proceeded  to  the  ballot,  and  seven  men 
were  chosen,  all  of  them  "Grecians,"  if  we  are  to  judge  by 
their  names.  They  were  intended  to  silence  the  miu-muring 
of  the  "Grecians."  But  how  about  the  "Hebrews"?  They 
must  have  had  their  deacons  already,  else  the  appointment 
of  the  seven  Grecians  would  soon  have  given  rise  to  a  mur- 
muring of  the  Hebrews  against  the  Grecians.  It  would  seem, 
then,  that  this  is  not  the  record  of  the  origin  of  the  deacon's 
office;  there  must  have  been  some  such  office  in  the  syna- 
gogue, and  the  deacon,  like  the  elder,  passed  over  into  the 
church  without  special  notice  of  the  transaction. 

Special  interest  attaches  to  the  first  and  last  of  these 
names ;  to  Stephen  on  account  of  his  subsequent  history ;  to 
Nicolas  of  Antioch  on  account  of  his  identification,  without  one 
particle  of  evidence,  except  the  similarity  of  name,  with  the 
founder  of  the  "Nicolaitans."  (Eev.  ii.  6,  15.)  This  tradi- 
tion is  grossly  unjust  to  the  deacon  Nicolas.  [The  Nicolai- 
tans were  no  doubt  the  same  as  the  "Balaamites,"  both  names 
having  the  same  meaning.  See  Hengstenberg  on  the  Reve- 
lation, and  Trench  on  the  Epistles  to  the  Seven  Churches.'] 

'  As  to  these  qualifications,  compare  with  verse  3  the  passage  in  1  Tim. 
iii.  8  ff.  This  last  gives  the  permanent  rule.  In  the  early  stage  of  the 
apostolic  church,  when  the  charisms  were  lavishly  bestowed,  the  qualifica- 
tions of  deacons  were  relatively  high ;  in  the  later  they  are  not  so  high,  but 
are  still  relatively  as  high.  This  is  an  important  consideration.  If  the 
qualifications  in  this  chapter  are  insisted  on  now,  it  will  be  hard  to  find 
men  fit  for  the  office.  In  verse  5  it  is  of  Stephen  only  it  is  said  that  he 
was  "full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  113 

Ys.  6.  The  first  instance  of  what  we  now  call  "  ordination," 
the  solemn  recognition  of  the  call  of  a  man  to  ofiice  in  the 
church,  by  imposition  of  hands  and  prayer.  The  order 
seems  to  be :  (1),  The  call  of  the  Holy  Spirit  manifested  in 
the  gifts  he  has  bestowed;  (2),  The  recognition  of  this  call 
by  the  people  in  choosing  the  persons  thus  qualified  by  the 
Spirit ;  (3),  The  recognition  by  the  apostles  of  the  same  call 
through  "ordination."  Dr.  Alexander  {Covimentary ,  in  loc.) 
says  that  the  imposition  of  hands  in  this  case  denoted  "not 
only  the  delegation  of  authority,  but  also  the  collation  of  the 
spiritual  gifts  required  for  its  exercise."  There  is  no  evi- 
dence that  any  gifts  were  conferred  to  qualify  for  office. 
The  gifts,  according  to  verse  3,  had  been  conferred  before, 
and  were  a  guide  to  the  electors  in  making  a  choice.  But  if 
there  mas  a  bestowal  of  gifts  in  this  case,  it  would  be  no  rule 
for  modern  ordinations.  The  power  of  bestowing  gifts  was 
peculiar  to  the  apostles  and  ceased  with  them.  There  were 
three  kinds  of  charisms  in  the  apostolic  church:  (1),  Mira- 
cles; (2),  For  exercising  office;  (3),  Saving  graces,  such  as 
faith,  repentance,  etc.  The  apostles  had  the  power  of  con- 
ferring the  first  certainly  (Acts  viii.  17 ;  xix.  6,  and  compare 
Acts  X.  44-46) ;  the  second  perhaps  (2  Tim.  i.  6 ;  compare  1 
Tim.  iv.  14) ;  the  third  not  at  all.  Further,  Dr.  Alexander 
seems  to  recognize  as  valid  the  distinction  between  ordina- 
tion to  office  and  ordination  to  tvoy^k.  The  New  Testament 
does  not  recognize  this  distinction.  Every  office  is  an 
vfficiurn;  it  implies  the  doing  of  some  business  or  duty. 
(See  Acts  xiii.  2,  3.)  On  this  subject  of  ordination  and  the 
false  papal  and  prelatical  view  of  it,  see  my  article  on 
"Apostolical  Succession"^  in  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Re- 
vietv  for  July,  1872,  and  "  Prelacy  a  Blunder,"  by  Dr.  Dab- 
ney,  in  the  same  Review  for  January,  1876;  Theology,  pp. 
748  ff. 

Note  here  the  importance  of  the  voice  of  the  people  in  the 

'  Republished  also  in  the  Eccksiology. 


114  Miscellanies. 

choice  of  church  officers.  (See  the  article  above  referred  to. 
Southern  Presbyterian  Review,  July,  1872.)  Note  again, 
that  these  deacons  acted  for  the  whole  church  in  Jerusalem 
under  the  direction  of  the  apostles,  who  governed  the  whole 
church.  How,  then,  can  it  be  said  that  the  deacon  is  a  con- 
gregdtional  officer  only?  Why  may  not  all  our  courts  use 
deacons  ? 

Note  once  more  the  connection  between  the  deacon's  office 
and  the  communion  of  saints.  In  this  respect  it  surpasses 
even  the  elder's  office.  In  a  dead  church,  where  the  mem- 
bers exhibit  no  fellowship  in  the  matter  of  their  worldly 
goods,  the  deacon  would  have  nothing  to  do.  Note  finally, 
that  this  is  an  adequate  expression  of  the  deacon's  office. 
He  is  not  a  preacher  or  a  ruler,  but  the  custodian  and  distri- 
butor of  the  substance  contributed  by  the  people  of  God, 
the  organ  of  their  communion  in  this  kind. 

Vs.  7.  "  The  word  of  God  increased"  etc.  Under  all  cir- 
cumstances the  kingdom  of  God  advances,  amidst  the  ut- 
most harmony  (Acts  ii.  47),  in  spite  of  great  sins  and  scan- 
dals (Acts  V.  12,  14),  in  spite  of  persecutions  (Acts  iv.  31  if. ; 
V.  41,  42),  in  spite  of  murmuring  and  heart-burnings  (Acts 
vi.  7).  The  word  "grew"  in  several  senses:  {a),  There  were 
additional  revelations  as  to  the  form  and  organization  of  the 
church,  of  which  we  have  just  had  an  instance,  {h),  It  was 
more  vigorously  practiced  and  more  extensively  diffused, 
(c).  It  grew  in  the  sense  of  the  multiplication  of  the  plants, 
of  which  it  was  the  seed.  (Compare  the  parables  of  the 
"  sower"  and  of  the  "  wheat  and  tares.")  In  the  one  we  have 
the  word  as  seed ;  in  the  other  as  embodied  in  the  plants 
which  spring  from  it.  {d),  It  grew  in  that  these  plants  grew, 
unfolding  more  and  more  what  was  contained  in  the  germ. 
(2  Peter  iii.  18.)  The  power  of  this  revival  is  proved  by  the 
great  number  of  ''priests  "  that  became  obedient  to  the  faith 
(faith  here  used  in  the  sense  of  that  which  is  believed,  the 
gospel). 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  115 

XIY.  Stephen,  the  First  Martyr.     (Verses  8-15.) 

And  Stephen,  full  of  grace  and  power,  wrought  great  wonders    8 
and  signs  among  the  people.     But  there  arose  certain  of  them    9 
that  were  of  the  sj'uagogue  called  the  synagogue  of  the  Liber- 
tines, and  of  the  Cyrenians,  and  of  the  Alexandrians,  and  of 
them  of  Cilicia  and  Asia,  disputing  with  Stephen.     And  they  10 
were  not  able  to  withstand  the  wisdom  and  the  Sj^irit  by  which 
he  spake.     Then   they  suborned  men,  which    said,   We  have  11 
heard  him  speak  blasphemous  words  against  Moses,  and  against 
God.     And  they  stirred  up  the  people,  and  the  elders,  and  the  12 
scribes,  and  came  upon  him,  and  seized  him,  and  brought  him 
into  the  council,  and  set  up  false  witnesses,  which  said.  This  13 
man  ceaseth  not  to  speak  words  against  this  holy  place,  and  the 
law :    for  we  have  heard  him  BSiy,  that  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth  14 
shall  destroy  this  place,  and  shall  change  the  customs  which 
Moses  delivered  unto  us.     And  all  that  sat  in  the  council,  fast-  15 
ening  their  eyes  on  him,  saw  his  face  as  it  had  been  the  face  of 
an  angel. 

Vs.  8.  The  conspicuous  position  of  Stephen  due  to  his 
faith,  as  well  as  to  the  sovereignty  of  God. 

Vs.  9.  The  most  probable  supposition  is  that  there  was  but 
one  synagogue,  that  of  the  Libertines,  Cyrenians,  and  Alex- 
andrians. Connected  with  them  were  certain  Jews  of  CiU- 
cia^  and  Asia.^  (Compare  Acts  xxi.  27;  xxiv.  18.)  Note 
that  these  people  who  began  this  dispute  with  Stephen  were 
Hellenists  ("Grecians")  like  himself,  and  that  the  opposition 
now  comes  from  the  pe<jple,  as  well  as  from  the  rulers.  Per- 
haps the  gospel  had  made  such  progress  that  the  best  por- 
tion of  this  synagogue,  as  of  the  others  in  the  city,  had  be- 
come Christian,  leaving  only  a  fanatical  residuum ;  and  this 
synagogue  (of  which  Saul  may  have  been  one  of  the  mem- 
bers) was  perhaps  the  headquarters  of  fanatical  Judaism. 

'  Cilicia.  Saul's  province,  which  may  account  for  his  being  present  at 
the  stoning.     (Acts  vii.  58.) 

-Asia  throughout  this  book  denotes  "Proconsular  Asia,"  a  narrow 
strip  of  "Asia  Minor"  on  the  ^gean  Sea,  embracing  Mysia,  Lydia,  Caria, 
and  Lycia,  and  part  of  Phrygia.  In  Homer's  time,  Asia  seems  to  have  been 
limited  to  a  small  district  near  Ephesus. 


116  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  10.  Silenced,  but  not  convinced,  and,  therefore,  resort- 
ing to  arguments  of  another  kind,  following  their  father  Cain, 
or  rather  Cain's  father  (John  viii.  44;  1  John  iii.  12-15), 
violence  and  lies. 

Vs.  11-14.  To  speak  "blasphemous"  words,  etc.,  is  to  re- 
vile Moses  and  God.  This  was  a  foul  slander ;  and  yet,  like 
most  cases  of  slander,  had,  no  doubt,  some  color  of  plausi- 
bility in  something  that  Stephen  did  say.  ^yhat,  we  may 
judge  from  the  like  history  of  Paul.  (Acts  xxi.  28.)  Stephen 
saw,  and  saw  before  any  of  the  apostles  (as  far  as  appears), 
that  the  Gentiles  were  to  be  brought  into  the  kingdom  of  God 
as  Gentiles,  and  that  the  Mosaic  law,  so  far  as  it  was  given 
to  the  Jews  as  Jews,  was  to  cease,  that  the  temple  and  all 
its  rites  were  to  pass  away  as  shadows,  the  substance,  Christ, 
having  come.  The  whole  doctrine  was  involved  in  Jesus' 
saying  at  the  beginning  of  his  ministry  (John  ii,  19),  but  was 
now  beginning  to  be  developed  through  the  ministry  of  Ste- 
phen, and  was  afterwards  fully  developed  through  the  minis- 
try of  Paul.  There,  no  doubt,  was  an  internal  connection, 
as  well  as  an  external,  between  Stephen's  ministry  and  the 
conversion  and  ministry  of  Saul  of  Tarsus.  Augustin  said, 
"if  Stephen  had  not  prayed,  we  should  have  not  had  Paul,' 
and  the  saying  is  true  in  a  more  comprehensive  sense  than 
that  in  which  it  is  usually  understood.  It  is  not  a  little  re- 
markable that  a  deacon  and  not  an  apostle  should  have  been 
chosen  as  the  organ  of  this  great  development  in  the  divine 
plan. 

Vs.  15.  Compare  Ex.  xxxiii.  18-23 ;  xxxiv.  5,  6,  7,  29-35 ; 
2  Cor.  iii.  13-18 ;  1  John  iii.  2 ;  Phil.  iii.  21.  The  glory  on 
Stephen's  face^  was  not  superficial  and  fading,  as  that  of 
Moses  was,  but  was  the  result,  no  doubt,  of  the  transfiguration 
of  the  soul  within,  like  the  glory  in  which  Moses  appeared 

'  "  The  face  of  an  angel"  is,  of  course,  a  figurative  expression  to  denote 
a  face  of  glory  and  beauty.  (Compare  Matt.  xxii.  30 ;  Mark  xii.  25  ;  2  Cor. 
xi.  14;  Gal.  iv.  14;  Matt,  xxviii.  2-4.) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  117 

on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration  (Matt.  xvii.  3;  Luke  ix.  30, 
31),  though  in  a  lower  degree,  and  Hke  the  glory  which  has  ap- 
peared on  the  faces  of  dying  saints  since.  The  union  of  soul 
and  bod}^  is  more  intimate  than  we  are  able  to  conceive.  To 
a  certain  extent,  the  expression  of  the  face,  and  even  its  fea- 
tures, is  changed  by  the  regeneration  and  sanctification  of  the 
soul.  All  ugliness  of  the  body  is  the  result  of  sin,  and  the 
body  of  every  redeemed  man  shall  at  last  be  perfect  in 
beauty,  and  yet  the  beauty  shall  be  as  various  in  the  re- 
deemed as  their  individuality.  In  the  case  of  Stephen  was 
given  a  foretaste  of  the  coming  glory.  It  may  also  be  re- 
garded as  a  symbol  of  the  difference  between  the  dispensa- 
tion which  he  represented  and  that  of  which  Moses  was  the 
representative;  the  one  having  a  glory  internal,  essential, 
and  permanent ;  the  other,  a  glory  external,  accidental, 
and  transitory.  (2  Cor.  iii.  13-18.)  It  was  a  visible  sign, 
therefore,  to  the  Jewish  council,  that  God  was  on  Stephen's 
side  in  the  controversy,'  that  Jesus  would  "destroy  that  place 
and  change  the  customs  which  Moses  delivered." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

XV.    Stephen's  Defence  Befoke  the  Sanhedrim. 

(Verses  1-60.) 

And  the  high  priest  said,  Are  these  things  so  %    And  he  said,     1 
Brethren  and  fathers,  hearken.     The  God   of  glory  appeared    2 
unto  our  father  Abraham,  when  he  was  in  Mesopotamia,  before  he 
dwelt  in  Haran,  and  said  unto  him.  Get  thee  out  of  thy  land,    3 
and  from  thy  kindred,  and  come  into  the  land  which  I  shall    4 
shew  thee.     Then  came  he  out  of  the  laud  of  the  Chaldaeans, 
and  dwelt  in  Haran:  and  from  thence,  when  his  father  was 
dead,  God  removed  him  into  this  land,  wherein  ye  now  dwell: 
and  he  gave  him  none  inheritance  in  it,  no,  not  so  much  as  to    5 
set  his  foot  on :  and  he  promised  that  he  would  give  it  to  him  in 
possession,  and  to  his  seed  after  him,  when  as  yet  he  had  no 

'  Stephen  had  been  accused  of  blaspheming  Moses;  God  vindicates  him 
by  making  his  face  glorious,  as  he  had  made  the  face  of  Moses. 


118  Miscellanies. 

6  child.  And  God  spake  on  this  wise,  that  his  seed  should  so- 
journ in  a  strangle  land,  and  that  they  should  bring  them  into 

7  bondage,  and  entreat  them  evil,  four  hundred  years.  And  the 
nation  to  which  they  shall  be  in  bondage  will  I  judge,  said 
God:  and  after  that  shall  they  come  forth,  and  serve  me  in  this 

8  place.  And  he  gave  him  the  covenant  of  circumcision :  and  so 
Abraham  begat  Isaac,  and  circumcised  hira.  the  eighth  day;  and 

9  Isaac  begat  Jacob,  and  Jacob  the  twelve  patriarchs.  And  the 
patriarchs,  moved  with  jealousy  against  Josei^h,  sold  him  into 

10  Egypt :  and  God  was  with  him,  and  delivered  him  out  of  all  his 
afflictions,  and  gave  him  favour  and  wisdom  before  Pharaoh 
king  of  Egypt ;  and  he  made  him  governor  over  Egypt  and  all  his 

11  house.     Now  there  came  a  famine  over  all  Egypt  and  Canaan, 

12  and  great  affliction:  and  our  fathers  found  no  sustenance.  But 
when  Jacob  heard  that  there  was  corn  in  Egypt,  he  sent  forth 

13  our  fathers  the  first  time.  And  at  the  second  time  Joseph  was 
made  known  to  his  brethren ;  and  Joseph's  race  became  manifest 

14  unto  Pharaoh.     And  Joseph  sent,  and  called  to  him  Jacob  his 

15  father,  and  all  his  kindred,  threescore  and  fifteen  souls.  And  Jacob 
went  down  into  Egypt ;  and  he  died,  himself,  and  our  fathers ;  and 

16  they  were  carried  over  unto  Shechem,  and  laid  in  the  tomb  that 
Abraham  bought  for  a  price  in  silver  of  the  sons  of  Hamor  in 

17  Shechem.  But  as  the  time  of  the  promise  drew  nigh,  which 
God  vouchsafed  unto  Abraham,  the  people  grew  and  multiplied 

18  in  Egypt,  till  there  arose  another  king  over  Egypt,  which  knew 
1^  not  JosejDh.     The  same  dealt  subtilly  with  our  race,  and  evil 

entreated  our  fathers,  that  they  should  cast  oi;t  their  babes  to 

20  the  end  they  might  not  live.  At  which  season  Moses  was  born, 
and  was  exceeding  fair ;  and  he  was  novirished  three  months  in 

21  his  father's  house :  and  when  he  was  cast  out,  Pharaoh's  daughter 

22  took  him  up,  and  nourished  him  for  her  own  son.  And  Moses 
was  instructed  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians;  and  he  was 

23  mighty  in  his  words  and  works.  But  when  he  was  well-nigh 
forty  years  old,  it  came  into  his  heart  to  visit  his  brethren  the 

24  children  of  Israel.  And  seeing  one  of  them  suffer  wrong,  he 
defended  him,  and  avenged  him  that  was  oppressed,  smiting  the 

25  Egyptian  :  and  he  supposed  that  his  brethren  understood  how 
that  God  by  his  hand  was  giving  them  deliverance;  but  they 

26  understood  not.  And  the  day  following  he  appeared  unto  them 
as  they  strove,  and  would  have  set  them  at  one  agam,  saying, 

27  Sirs,  ye  are  brethren;  why  do  ye  wrong  one  to  another?  But 
he  that  did  his  neighbour  wrong  thrust  him  away,  saying.  Who 

28  made  thee  a  ruler  and  a  judge  over  us  ?    Wouldest  thou  kill  me, 

29  as  thou  killedst  the  Egyptian  yesterday?  And  Moses  fled  at 
this  saying,  and  became  a  sojourner  in  the  land  of  Midian, 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  119 

where  he  begat  two  sons.     And  when  forty  years  were  fulfilled,  30 
an  angel  appeared  to  him  in  the  wilderness  of  mount  Sinai,  in 
a  flame  of  fire  in  a  bush.    And  when  Moses  saw  it,  he  wondered  31 
at  the  sight :  and  as  he  drew  near  to  behold,  there  came  a  voice 
of  the  Lord,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  32 
and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob.     And  Moses  trembled,  and  durst 
not  behold.    And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Loose  the  shoes  from  33 
thy  feet :  for  the  place  whereon  thou  staudest  is  holy  ground. 
I  have  surely  seen  the  atfliction  of  my  people  which  is  in  Egypt,  34 
and  have  heard  their  groaning,  and  I  am  come  down  to  deliver 
them :  and  now  come,  I  will  send  thee  into  Egypt.     This  Moses  35 
whom  they  refused,  sa\dng,  Who  made  thee  a  ruler  and  a  judge? 
him  hath  God  sent  to  be  both  a  ruler  and  a  deliverer  with  the 
hand  of  the  angel  which  appeared  to  him  in  the  bush.    This  man  36 
led  them  forth,  having  wrougbt  wonders  and  signs  in  Egypt,  and 
in  the  Ked  sea,  and  in  the  wilderness  forty  years.    This  is  that  37 
Moses,  which  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  A  prophet  shall 
God  raise  up  unto  you  from  among  your  brethren,  like  unto  me. 
This  is  he  that  was  in  the  church  in  the  wilderness  with  the  38 
angel  which  spake  to  him  in  the  mount  Sinai,  and  with  our 
fathers:  who  received  living  oracles  to  give  unto  us:  to  whom  39 
our  fathers  would  not  be  obedient,  but  thrust  him  from  them, 
and  turned  back  in  their  hearts  unto  Egypt,  saying  unto  Aaron, 
Make  us  gods  \\hich  shall  go  before  us:  for  as  for  this  Moses,  40 
which  led  us  forth  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  we  wot  not  what  is 
become  of  him.     And  they  laade  a  calf  in  those  days,   and  41 
brought  a  sacrifice  unto  the  idol,  and  rejoiced  in  the  works  of 
their  hands.     But  God  turned,  and  gave  them  up  to  serve  the  42 
host  of  heaven ;  as  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  the  prophets, 
Did  3'e  offer  unto  me  slain  beasts  and  sacrifices 
Forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  O  house  of  Israel  ? 
And  ye  took  up  the  tabernacle  of  Moloch,  43 

And  the  star  of  the  god  Eephan. 
The  figures  which  ye  made  to  worship  them : 
And  I  will  carry  you  away  beyond  Babylon. 
Our  fathers  had  the  tabernacle  of  the  testimony  in  the  wilder-  44 
ness,  even  as  he  appointed  who  spake  unto  Moses,  that  he  should 
make  it  according  to  the  figure  that  he  had  seen      Which  also  45 
our  fathers,  in  their  turn,  brought  in  with  Joshua  when  they 
entered  on  the  possession  of  the  nations,  which  God  thrust  out 
before  the  face  of  our  fathers,   unto  the  days  of  David;  who  46 
found  favour  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  asked  to  find  a  habita- 
tion for  the  God  of  Jacob.     But  Solomon  built  him  a  house.  47 
Howbeit  the  Most  High  dwelleth  not  in  houses  made  with  48 
hands;  as  saith  the  prophet. 


120  Miscellanies. 

"4:9         The  heaven  is  my  throne, 

And  the  earth  the  footstool  of  my  feet : 

What  manner  of  house  will  ye  build  me?  saith  the  Lord: 

Or  what  is  the  place  of  my  rest  ? 

50  Did  not  my  hand  make  all  these  things  ? 

51  Ye  stiffuecked  and  uncircumcised  in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do 
always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost:  as  your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye. 

52  Which  of  the  prophets  did  not  your  fathers  persecute?  and 
they  killed  them  which  shewed  before  of  the  coming  of  the 
Righteous  One;  of  whom  ye  have  now  become  betra3'ers  and 

53  murderers ;  ye  who  received  the  law  as  it  was  ordained  by 
angels,  and  kept  it  not. 

54  Now  when  they  heard  these  things,  the}^  were  cut  to  the 

55  heart,  and  they  gnashed  on  him  with  their  teeth.  But  he,  being- 
full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  looked  up  stedfastl}'  into  heaven,  and 

56  saw  the  glory  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of 
God,  and  said.  Behold,  1  see  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son 

57  of  man  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God.  But  they  cried  out 
with  a  loud  voice,  and  stopped  their  ears,  and  rushed  upon  him 

58  with  one  accord ;  and  they  cast  him  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned 
him :  and  the  witnesses  laid  down  their  garments  at  the  feet  of 

59  a  young  man  named  Saul.     And  they  stoned  Stephen,  calling 

60  upon  the  Lord,  and  saying,  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.  And 
he  kneeled  down,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice.  Lord,  lay  not  this 
sin  to  their  charge.     And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  fell  asleep. 

The  Sanhedrim  were  now  iu  a  more  favorable  condition 
for  gratifying  their  malice  against  the  gospel  than  they  w^ere 
when  dealing  witli  the  apostles,  (a),  They  had  the  people 
on  their  side,  and  had  no  need  to  fear.  (Compare  Acts  v. 
13,  26.)  (J)),  The  crime  alleged  against  Stephen  was  more 
easily  shown  to  deserve  death.  Stephen  seems  to  have 
known  how  the  matter  would  end  (verse  51,  52);  "but  in- 
stead of  being  dismayed,  the  steadfastness  of  his  inward 
peace,  the  certainty  of  victory  and  joy,  were  so  strong  and 
mighty  in  him  that  his  face  shone  as  the  face  of  an  angel." 

Great  difficulty  has  been  felt  as  to  Stephen's  speech  or  de- 
fence. The  following  remarks  may  not  be  without  weight : 
1.  Whatever  the  judgment  of  the  logician  or  the  rhetorician 
may  be  as  to  the  structure  and  method  of  the  speech,  it  is 
certain  that  it  was  an  effective  speech,  which  cannot  be  said 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  121 

of  many  a  composition  which  conforms  to  the  rules  of  both 
sciences.     2.  There  is  a  method  which  feeling  instinctively 
adopts,  which  is  much  better  suited  to  accomplish  its  ends 
than  any  rules  devised  by  the  mere  intellect  would  be.     It 
was  said  of  the  eloquence  of  the  elder  Pitt,  that  it  was  like 
the  firing  of  a  cannon:  the  ball  was  seen  to  hit  the  mark, 
though  its  transit  from  the  mouth  of  the  cannon  to  the  mark 
could  not  be  followed  or  discerned.     3.  This  discourse  is  an 
argument  from  history,  in  which  certain  salient  and  signifi- 
cant facts  are  mentioned,  from  each  of  which  an  obvious  in- 
ference might  be  made  bearing  on  the  main  point,  and  hav- 
ing  a   cumulative    efi'ect.     We  can  all  understand  that  an 
argument  of  this  sort  is,   in  some  circumstances,  the  most 
efi"ective  that  can  be  made.     Suppose  that  Washington  had 
been  accused  in  the  close  of  his  life  of  a  want  of  patriotism. 
The  most  efi'ective  reply  to  such  a  charge  would  have  been 
the  recital  of  his  history.     Compare  Paul's  defences  in  this 
respect,      4.  In  this  case,  the  eflfect  was  greatly  heightened 
by  the  talismanic  influence  of  navies.      There  is  a  passage  in 
one  of  the  Greek  tragedies  which  is  said  to  have  produced 
a  tempest  of  enthusiasm  whenever  it  was  recited  to  a  Greek 
audience ;  yet  it  is  only  a  catalogue  of  names.     But  to  the 
Greek  each  name  was  a  taHsmau.     So,  I  suppose,  the  "  Cata- 
logue  of  Ships"  in   the   Iliad,  which   not  only  school -boys 
have  found  to  be  a  hore,  was  to  the  Greek  one  of  the  most 
stirring  passages  in  the  poem.     So  also  Milton's  account  of 
the  pagan  divinities  in  Paradise  Lost  is  as  frequently  quoted 
by  scholars  as  any  other  passage,  on  account  of  the  academic 
associations  they  awaken.'     5.  The  scope  and  design  of  the 
speech  (as  gathered  from  the  charge  brought  against  him 
and  from  the  conclusion  of  the  speech  itself)  is  evidently  to 
show,  («),  That  he  was  not  an  enemy  of  Moses  and  an  apos- 
tate  from  the  law,  but   a  true  adherent   of  both   (compare 

'  On  the  influence  of  words  on  the  passions  (see  Burke's  Essay  on  the 
Sublime  and  Beautiful,  Part  5,  sec.  7.     (Loudon  edition,  1854,  pp.  178  ff.) 


122  Miscellanies. 

here  again  the  position  of  Paul  in  his  defences) ;  (b),  As 
necessarily  implied  in  this,  that  the  rulers  who  were  judging 
him  were  the  real  enemies  of  Moses  and  apostates  from  the 
law.  Thej  were  like  their  fathers  who  sold  Joseph  into 
Egypt;  who  resisted  Moses  and  rejected  him;  who  provoked 
God  in  the  wilderness  and  worshipped  idols  there ;  who 
finally,  by  their  apostasies,  compelled  God  to  deliver  them 
into  the  hands  of  their  enemies ;  in  short,  that  they  had  re- 
ceived the  law  at  the  hands  of  angels  and  had  not  kept  it; 
and  that  their  treatment  of  him  (Stephen)  came  from  the 
same  source  as  the  persecution  of  the  prophets  and  the  kill- 
ing of  their  own  Messiah. 

There  are  incidental  points  made  in  the  history,  but  all 
bearing  upon  these  two  great  ends :  the  defence  of  Stephen 
and  the  condemnation  of  his  judges.  The  true  position,  in- 
deed, of  Stephen  and  of  Paul,  in  similar  circumstances  after- 
wards, is  that  of  Si  judge,  not  of  a  criminal  at  the  bar  of  God, 
who,  by  the  mouth  of  his  servants,  judges  and  condemns  the 
sinners,  Felix,  the  Sanhedrim,  etc. 

The  difficulties  of  the  speech.  Note,  {a),  That  these  diffi- 
culties do  not  seem  to  have  impressed  Stephen's  enemies, 
familiar  as  they  must  have  been  with  the  history  he  was 
handling.  If  he  had  been  the  ignoramus  which  some  take 
him  to  be,  his  words  could  not  have  had  the  effect  they  had. 
(h),  When  a  body  of  writings  is  in  constant  use  and  con- 
stantly quoted,  it  is  very  natural  that  a  shorthand  method 
of  referring  to  or  citing  them  should  arise.  A  clause  or  word 
from  one  context  might  be  combined  with  a  word  or  clause 
from  another  without  danger  of  misapprehension  or  confu- 
sion to  those  who  were  familiar  with  the  records,  and  yet  be 
apparently  confused  to  those  who  were  uninitiated.  (Com- 
pare verse  7  with  Gen.  xv.  13-16  and  Exodus  iii.  12 ;  verse 
43  with  Amos  v.  27  and  2  Kings  xvii.  6.  Compare  also  Gen. 
xxiii.  19;  1.  13,  with  xxxiii.  19  and  Joshua  xxiv.  32.  Bengel's 
sermon  on  verse  16  ;  Ayre's  Treasury  of  Bible  Knowledge, 


Notes  on  the  Acts  or  the  Apostles.  123 

tinder  Stephen";  Turretin,  Loc.  2,  Q,  5,  Par.  28.  Compare 
also  Num.  xxvi.  10;  Ps.  cvi.  17.)  Korah  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  "swallowed  up,"  but  "devoured"  hj  fire,  (c), 
Even  if  Stephen  did  not  speak  under  that  influence  which  we 
call  "inspiration,"  it  is  violently  improbable  that  he  should 
have  committed  the  alleged  blunders ;  and  the  more  the 
number  of  the  blunders  is  magnified,  the  greater  the  improb- 
ability, (d),  If  his  inspiration  be  denied  on  account  of  diffi- 
culties of  this  sort,  what  shall  we  say  of  the  discrepancies 
between  the  Books  of  Kings  and  Chronicles,  and  of  the 
Saviour's  acceptance  of  those  books  as  parts  of  the  word  of 
God?  (e),  Why  were  these  difficulties  retained  in  the  record  ? 
They  lie  on  the  very  surface.  Luke  does  not  seem  to  have 
feared  any  damage  to  Stephen's  reputation  by  leaving  them 
there. 

One  or  two  general  remarks  may  be  made  in  regard  to  dif- 
ficulties of  this  sort  and  of  other  sorts  in  the  Bible :  (a),  The 
force  of  the  infidel's  objection  lies  in  the  apparent  contradic- 
tion. If,  therefore,  any  solution  can  be  proposed  to  show 
that  there  is  no  contradiction  necessarily,  the  objection  is 
dissolved,  whether  the  true  historical  solution  has  been  found 
or  not.  Qj),  If  no  solution  can  be  proposed,  or  if  the  solu- 
tion be  far-fetched  and  improbable,  it  is  better  and  more 
reasonable  to  fall  back  on  the  overwhelming  proofs  of  in- 
spiration by  which  the  records  are  authenticated,  and  to  re- 
gard the  difficulties  as  trials  of  our  faith,  just  as  in  scientific 
investigations  facts  which  seem  contrary  to  a  theory  other- 
wise fully  sustained  are  reserved  for  future  explanation  by 
further  light,  {c),  All  difficulties  of  this  sort  are  difficulties 
to  the  understanding  only,  and  are  not  to  be  compared  to 
those  which  arise  in  the  course  of  Christian  experience.  (See 
the  noble  passage  of  Dr.  R.  J.  Breckenridge  in  The  Preshy- 
terial  Critic,  Vol.  II.,  p.  305;  '' Objective"  Theology,  p.  522: 
""We  often  speak  of  the  difficulties,"  etc.  See  John  vi.  Q)Q- 
69  ;  Matt.  xiii.  10-17.)  Contact  and  communion  with  Christ 
are,  after  all,  the  only  safeguards  against  infidelity. 


124  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  2.  "  God  of  glory.''  In  reference  to  the  charge  of  hlas- 
phemy  against  God.  (Acts  vi.  11.)  Verses  1-17  notice 
tlie  changes  (Acts  vi.  14)  in  the  condition  of  the  people  in 
times  past.  Verses  30-33  show  that  the  holiness  of  places 
(see  Acts  vi.  13)  dejDends  upon  the  manifestations  of  God ;  and 
these  depend,  in  turn,  upon  God's  will.  (Compare  verses  48, 
49,  below.) 

Vs.  37  is  an  answer  to  the  charge  of  speaking  "against  the 
law.''  Moses  himself  foretells  a  prophet  who  is  to  supersede 
him.  They  are  the  true  followers  of  Moses,  therefore,  who 
hear  the  prophet  whom  Moses  commanded  them  to  hear. 
They  "blaspheme"  Moses  who  say  that  he  only  is  to  be 
heard  after  tltat  prophet  has  come.  Another  salient  point  in 
Stephen's  speech  is  the  suggestion  in  several  places  {e.  g.,  in 
verses  9-13;  23-29;  35-41;  51-53)  of  the  true  reason  why 
they  rejected  the  Messiah,  Jesus,  namely,  that  they  were 
"stiff-necked,"  etc,  (verse  5),  like  their  fathers,  who  rejected 
Joseph,  Moses,  and  David.  The  fact  that  the  generation  of 
Stephen's  own  day  rejected  Jesus  was  no  proof  that  he  was 
not  the  Messiah,  any  more  than  the  fact  that  the  former  gen- 
erations rejected  Joseph  and  Moses  was  a  proof  against  their 
mission.  The  sin  in  each  of  these  cases  was  aggravated  by 
the  circumstance  that  it  was  a  God-appointed  Redeemer  who 
was  rejected.  (See,  particularly,  verse  35.)  Verses  51-53 
are  not  to  be  regarded  as  an  "invective,"  but  as  a  judicial 
sentence  pronounced  by  Stephen  in  God's  name.  See  Mat- 
thew X.  17-20,  and  compare  Matthew  xxiii.  13-39 ;  and  be- 
ware of  ascribing  unholy  passion  to  the  martyr.  (Compare 
Acts  xxiii.  3,  below.)  We  may  add  that  there  is  no  evidence 
that  the  speech  was  abruptly  broken  off.  Another  circum- 
stance worthy  of  note  in  the  speech,  concerning  both  Joseph 
and  Moses,  is  an  implied  dualism,,  which  may  be  regarded 
as  prophetic.  The  brethren  of  Joseph  did  not  know  him  on 
the  first  interview  (verse  13),  but  did  recognize  him  on  the 
second.     (Compare  Zechariah  xii.  10.)     So,  also,  the  people 


Notes  on  the  A(rrs  of  the  Apostles.  125 

did  not  understand,  when  Moses  came  to  them  the  first  time, 
that  God  was,  by  his  hand,  offering  to  deliver  them  (verse 
25) ;  but  they  did  follow  him  the  second  time.  (Compare 
Eom.  xi.  25-32.) 

One  general  influence  from  the  restime  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment history  as  given  by  Stephen  is  too  important  to  be 
omitted.  It  is  that  the  essence  of  human  nature  remains  the 
same  in  all  ages,  amidst  all  the  vicissitudes  of  external  cir- 
cumstances. By  the  "essence  of  human  nature"  I  mean 
those  faculties  and  powers  which  make  him  a  inoral  agent 
and  a  religions  being.  There  are  traces  of  an  understanding 
in  the  brutes ;  none  of  a  moral  sense.  Hence,  in  all  stages  of 
civilization  and  of  progress  in  mere  knowledge,  we  find  the 
same  religious  needs,  the  same  divine  provision  for  those 
needs,  the  same  perverse  preference,  on  the  part  of  the  ma- 
jority of  men,  for  their  own  inventions  as  against  the  way  of 
God,  the  joyful  accej^tance,  on  the  part  of  a  few,  of  God's  way. 

(a).  The  same  religious  needs :  a  consciousness  of  guilt,  a 
consciousness  of  pollution  and  degradation,  a  craving  after  a 
satisfying  portion,  after  "  a  sun  "  and  "  a  shield."  (Ps.  Ixxxiv. 
11.)  Note,  these  needs  do  not  spring  from  ignorance  merely, 
any  more  than  hunger  and  thirst  of  the  body  spring  from 
ignorance,  and,  therefore,  no  increase  of  natural  knowledge 
can  remove  them.  All  men  are  on  a  level  here,  of  all  times, 
countries,  conditions,  etc.  They  all  hunger  and  thirst,  and 
must  go  out  of  themselves  for  relief.  No  possible  advance  in 
science  and  the  arts  can  antiquate  hunger  and  thirst.  (J)), 
The  same  divine  provision  for  these  needs — a  Redeemer — the 
living  bread  and  the  living  water.  Science  has  invented  no 
substitute  for  bread  and  water,  and  could  never  have  dis- 
covered them  of  itself.  All  the  men  of  science  in  the  world 
could  not  make  a  grain  of  wheat  or  a  spring  of  water.  They 
are  no  more  able  to  do  it  now  than  in  the  time  of  Leucippus 
or  of  Democritus.  God  alone  can  do  it.  So  with  the  spir- 
itual bread  and  water.     And  if  God  alone  can  create  the  pro- 


126  Miscellanies. 

vision,  he  alone  can  inform  us  that  he  has  done  it.  No 
amount  of  knowledge  or  culture  could  discover  it.  (c),  The 
same  perverse  preference  for  man's  way.  The  making  of  the 
calf  by  the  Israelites  (verse  41)  is  one  of  the  most  striking 
instances  of  this,  and  yet  we  have  the  practice  palliated  by 
a  master-spirit  of  skepticism,  amid  the  boasted  illumination 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  "Goethe,"  says  Eckermann  (in 
Williams'  Miscellanies,  p.  23),  "had  received  a  cast  of  a  piece 
of  statuary.  A  model  of  Myron's  cow,  with  her  sucking  calf, 
was  sent  to  him  by  a  young  artist.  'Here,'  said  he,  'we 
have  a  subject  of  the  highest  sort — the  nourishing  principle 
which  upholds  the  world,  and  pervades  all  nature,  is  brought 
before  me  by  this  beautiful  symbol.  This,  and  others  of  a 
like  nature,  I  esteem  the  true  symbols  of  the  omnipotence  of 
God.' "  Williams  adds :  "  Did  pantheism  rule  the  schools,  we 
can  easily  see  how  idolatry,  in  its  most  brutish  form,  might 
be  revived  among  the  populace ;  and  the  ox-gods  and  onions 
— the  gods  of  Egypt,  at  which  even  a  Juvenal  jeered — might, 
amid  all  our  vaunted  advance  in  knowledge,'  receive  again 
the  worship  of  our  scholars.  Pantheism  is  the  philosophy 
of  Brahmanism  with  all  its  one  hundred  thousand  graven 
images,  from  Gerushea  with  its  elephant's  head  to  Doonga 
with  her  necklace  of  human  skulls.  The  men  who  had  out- 
grown the  Bible  and  found  themselves  wiser  than  their  Re- 
deemer, might,  under  the  auspices  of  pantheism,  return  to 
the  worship  of  Apis,  and  adore  the  gods  of  the  dairy  and 
the  stall,  as  they  stood  chewing  the  cud  or  suckling  their 
calves.  Thus  does  the  Lord  take  the  wise  in  their  own  craf- 
tiness." 

'  See  an  extract  from  De  Quincey  iu  his  Life  by  Masson  (Morley  Series, 
page  181),  on  the  difference  between  the  "literature  of  knowledge"  and  the 
" literature  of  power."  A  good  steam-engine  is  properly  superseded  by  a 
better.  But  one  lovely  pastoral  valley  is  not  superseded  by  another,  nor  a 
statue  of  Praxiteles  by  a  statue  of  Michael  Angelo.  (See  in  Ticknor,  Fields 
&  Co.'s  Ed.,  Boston,  1853,  the  volume  entitled  Essays  on  the  Poets,  pp. 
141>  ff. ;  in  the  edition  of  Black,  Edinburgh,  1872,  Vol.  VIII.,  pp.  5  ff.) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  127 

I  maj  add  Augusto  Comte,  the  great  master  of  advanced 
thouglit,  came  to  the  couchisioii  at  last,  that  he  was  the  pro- 
per object  of  worship.  If  I  had  to  choose  between  such  a 
divinity  and  Apis,  or  even  an  onion,  I  should  choose  the  lat- 
ter, as  being  at  least  free  from  moral  pollution. 

Vs.  54.  "  Oat  to  the  heartr  (Compare  Acts  ii.  37.)  Dif- 
ference between  the  conviction  of  the  elect  and  the  reprobate. 
(Compare  2  Cor.  vii.  10.)  Stephen  had  charged  them  with 
being  "uucircumcised  in  Aear^  and  earc<?."  (Verse  51.)  The 
accusation  is  now  justified.  Their  uucircumcised  hearts  were 
"sawn  through"  by  a  conviction  of  their  mind  and  conscience, 
combined  with  pride,  spite,  and  furious  anger.  They  stopped 
their  uncircumcised  ears  (verse  57)  against  his  testimony. 
Note,  again,  the  hatred  of  the  world  against  God's  saints  as 
such.  The  Sanhedrim  had  observed  the  angelic  expression 
(or  preternatural  radiance)  upon  Stephen's  face.  This  helped 
to  inflame  their  rage,  for  it  was  a  revelation  of  God.  We 
have  here  the  contrast  between  the  human  nature  and  the 
beastly  nature,  which  is  so  often  presented  to  us  in  the  Old 
Testament.  (See  Gen.  iii.  15;  Dan.  vii.  1-11.)  The  martyr 
gazing  on  "the  Son  of  man"  (in  whom  the  ideal  of  human 
nature  has  been  gloriously  realized)  and  changing  into  his 
image,  more  and  more  in  love  and  meekness ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  judges  gnashing  on  him  with  their  teeth  like 
wild  beasts.  On  the  one  hand,  the  spirit  of  a  man  that  goeth 
upward ;  on  the  other,  the  spirit  of  a  beast  that  goeth  down 
to  the  earth.  (Eccles.  iii.  21.)  So  Stephen,  filled  with  the 
Spirit,  looks  up  to  heaven ;  his  enemies  look  downward  to 
the  earth.  Stephen  sees  heaven  opened;  his  enemies  see 
nothing  but  the  object  of  their  hatred. 

Vs.  55,  50.  Stephen  sees  the  "Son  of  man."  This  is  the 
only  place  in  the  New  Testament  where  this  denomination  is 
given  to  Jesus,  except  by  himself.  The  use  of  it  here  com- 
pels us  to  think  of  Daniel  vii.  13.  Every  case  of  true  Chris- 
tian martyrdom  presents  us  with  the  same  opposition  between 


128  Miscellanies. 

tlie  true  kingdom  of  humanity  (man  witli  God,  or  God  in  man) 
and  the  kingdom  of  the  beast  (man  without  God,  in  the  place 
of  God,  against  God.     See  on  Acts  i.  2,  above.) 

"  Standing.''  I  marvel  that  Calvin  should  have  denied  that 
there  is  any  special  significance  in  the  posture  here.  His 
reasons  are  unworthy  of  so  great  an  expounder  of  God's 
word.  The  "standing,"  here,  undoubtedly  denotes  a  readi- 
ness to  help,  an  addressing  himself  to  action  in  behalf  of  his 
servants,  while  sitting  would  imply  only  the  possession  of  all 
authority  and  power. 

Vs.  58,  59.  Stoning  was  the  mode  prescribed  in  the  law  for 
inflicting  capital  punishment ;  and  that  the  Sanhedrim  desired 
to  keep  up,  notwithstanding  their  fury,  the  form  of  a  judicial 
proceeding  is  evident  from  the  conduct  of  the  witnesses. 
(Deut.  xvii.  7.)  Note  on  verses  59,  60,  {a).  That  the  martyr 
invokes  Christ  as  God  (compare  on  Acts  ii.  21,  22).  {h),  That 
he  commends  his  spirit  to  him,  as  Christ  on  the  cross  com- 
mended his  to  the  Father,  thus  exercising  one  of  the  highest 
acts  of  faith  and  worship  (compare  Paul  in  2  Tim.  i.  12 ;  iv. 
6-8).  (c),  That  he  prays  for  his  enemies,  as  his  Master  had 
prayed  for  his,  thus  exercising  the  highest  act  towards  men. 
"What  a  demonstration  of  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost !  {<!), 
That  he  "fell  asleep"^  amidst  a  shower  of  stones.  Sleep  is 
a  common  figure  for  death  among  all  nations;  but  in  the 
New  Testament  it  is  never  used  of  any  but  the  righteous. 
The  significance  of  this  fact  may  be  learned  from  1  Thess.  iv. 
14:  "For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  [anedave]  and  rose 
again,  even  so  them  also  who  sleep  through  (by  means  of,  ^ca 
Tou)  Jesus,"  etc.  Jesus  died  (his  death  is  never  called  a  sleep), 
and  through  his  death  his  people  die  not,  but  sleep.  Sleep 
is,  indeed,  death's  image,  but  it  is  not  death.  The  soul  is  still 
within,  and  wakes  the  body  by  its  own  life.  So  the  bodies  of 
the  saints  will  awake  at  the  sound  of  the  last  trump  by  the 

^  Nou  obiit;  obiit  e  vita,  ad  vitam  evolavit. — Epitaph  on  Fra  Paolo 
Sarpi. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  129 

Spirit  witliiu  them,  while  the  bodies  of  the  wicked  will  be 
raised  by  a  power  exerted  db  extra.  Believers  are  -united  to 
Christ,  both  soul  aud  body ;  and  the  separation  of  soul  and 
body  by  death  does  not  involve  the  separation  of  either  soul 
or  body  from  Christ.  (See  Shorter  Catechism,  Quest.  37.) 
Hence,  in  the  full  and  proper  sense  the  believer  never  dies. 
(John  xi.  11,  13,  26.)  The  fifteenth  chapter  of  First  Corin- 
thians says  nothing  about  the  resurrection  of  the  wicked.  It 
is  exclusively  concerned  with  the  resurrection  of  those  who 
have  "fallen  asleep  in  Jesus." 

The  first  appearance  of  Saul.  (See  page  116  of  these  notes.) 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 


XVI.  First  General  Persecution.     The  Gospel  among  the 
Samaritans.     The  First  Fruits  of  Ethiopia.     (Vs.  1-40.) 

And  Saul  was  consenting  unto  his  death.  1 

And  there  arose  on  that  day  a  gi'eat  persecution  against  the 
church  which  was  in  Jerusalem ;  and  they  were  all  scattered  abroad 
throughout  the  regions  of  Judaea  and  Samaria,  except  the  apos-  2 
ties.  Aud  devout  men  buried  Stephen,  and  made  great  lamen-  3 
tation  over  him.  But  Saul  laid  waste  the  church,  entering  into 
every  house,  and  haling  men  and  women,  committed  them  to 
prison. 

They  therefore  that  were  scattered  abroad  went  about  preach-    4 
ing  the  word.     Aud  Philip  went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria,    5 
and  proclaimed  unto  them  the  Christ.     And  the  multitudes 
gave  heed  with  one  accord  unto  the  things  that  were  spoken  by    6 
Philip,  when  they  heard,  and  saw  the  signs  which  he  did.     For    7 
from  many  of  those  which  had  unclean  spirits,  they  came  out, 
crying  with  a  loud  voice :   and  many  that  were  palsied,  and  that 
were  lame,  were  healed.     And  there  was  much  joy  in  that  city.    8 

But  there  was  a  certain  man,  Simon  by  name,  which  before-  9 
time  in  the  city  used  sorcery,  and  amazed  the  people  of  Sama- 
ria, giving  out  that  himself  was  some  great  one:  to  whom  they  10 
all  gave  heed,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  saying,  This  man  11 
is  that  power  of  God  which  is  called  Great.  And  they  gave 
heed  to  him,  because  that  of  long  time  he  had  amazed  them  12 
with  his  sorceries.     But  when  they  beheved  Phihp  preaching 


130  Miscellanies. 

good  tidings  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  name  of 

13  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  baptized,  both  men  and  women.  And 
Simon  also  himself  believed:  and  being  baptized,  he  continued 
with  Philip :  and  beholding  signs  and  great  miracles  wrought, 
he  was  amazed. 

14  Now  when  the  apostles  which  were  at  Jerusalem  heard  that 
Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God,  they  sent  unto  them 

15  Peter  and  John :  who,  when  they  were  come  down,  prayed  for 

16  them,  that  they  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost:  for  as  yet  he 
was   fallen   upon   none  of  them :  only  they  had  been  baptized 

17  into  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.     Then  laid  they  their  hands 

18  on  them,  and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  Now  when  Simon 
saw  that  through  the  laying  on  of  the  apostles'  hands  the  Holy 

19  Ghost  was  given,  he  offered  them  money,  saying.  Give  me  also 
this  power,  that  on  whomsoever  I  lay  my  hands,  he  may  receive 

20  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  Peter  said.  Thy  silver  perish  with  thee, 
because  thou  hast  thought  to  obtain  the  gift  of  God  with  money. 

21  Thou  hast  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this  matter:  for  thy  heart  is 

22  not  right  before  God.  Eepent  therefore  of  this  thy  wickedness, 
and  pray  the  Lord,  if  perhaps  the  thought  of  thy  heart  shall  be 

23  forgiven  thee.     For  I  see  that  thou  art  in  the  gall  of  bitterness 

24  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity.  And  Simon  answered  and  said. 
Pray  ye  for  me  to  the  Lord,  that  none  of  the  things  which  ye 
have  spoken  come  upon  me. 

25  They  therefore,  when  they  had  testified  and  spoken  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  preached  the  gospel  to 
many  villages  of  the  Samaritans. 

26  But  an  angel  of  the  Lord  spake  unto  Philip,  saying,  Arise, 
and  go  toward  the  south  unto  the  way  that  goeth  down  from 

27  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza :  the  same  is  desert.  And  he  arose  and 
went-  and  behold,  a  man  of  Ethiopia,  a  eunuch  of  great  au- 
thority under  Candace,  queen  of  the  Ethiopians,  who  was  over 
all  her  treasure,  who  had  come  to  Jerusalem  for  to  worship; 

28  and  he  was  turning  and  sitting  in  his  chariot,  and  was  reading 

29  the  prophet  Isaiah.     And  the  Spirit  said  unto  Philip,  Go  near, 

30  and  join  thyself  to  this  chariot.  And  Philip  ran  to  him,  and 
heard  him  reading  Isaiah  the  prophet,  and  said,  Understandest 

31  thou  what  thou  readest  ?  And  he  said.  How  can  I,  except  some 
one  shall  guide  me  ?     And  he  besought  Philip  to  come  up  and 

32  sit  with  him.  Now  the  place  of  the  scripture  which  he  was 
reading  was  this. 

He  was  led  as  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter ; 
And  as  a  lamb  before  his  shearer  is  dumb. 
So  he  openeth  not  his  mouth: 

33  In  his  humiliation  his  judgment  was  taken  away: 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  131 

His  generation  who  shall  declare? 

For  his  life  is  taken  from  the  earth. 
And  the  eunuch  answered  Philip,  and  said,  I  pray  thee,  of  34 
whom  speaketh  the  prophet  this?  of  himself,  or  of  some  other"? 
And  Philip  opened  his  mouth,  and  beginning  from  this  scrip-  35 
ture,  preached  unto  him  Jesus.     And  as  they  went  on  the  way,  36 
they  came  unto  a  certain  water;  and  the  eunuch  saith,  Behold, 
here  is  water ;  what  doth  hinder  ine  to  be  baptized  ?     And  he  38 
commanded  the  chariot  to  stand  still :  and  they  both  went  down 
into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch ;  and  he  baptized 
him.     And  when  they  came  up  out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of  39 
the  Lord  caught  away  Philip ;   and  the  eunuch  saw  him  no 
more,  for  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing.     But  Philip  was  found  40 
at  Azotus :  and  passing  through  he  preached  the  gospel  to  all 
the  cities,  till  he  came  to  Csesarea. 

Vs.  1.  Saul  was  in  full  accord  with  the  murderers  of 
Stephen,  not  merely  "consenting"  to  his  death.  (The  Greek 
word  occurs  in  Rom.  i.  32,  and  is  rendered  "take  pleasure," 
and  in  1  Cor.  vii.  12,  13,  "be  pleased";  Luke  xi.  48, 
"allow,"  in  the  old  version.) 

Vs.  2.  The  taste  of  blood  maddened  the  people  as  wild 
beasts.  The  word  "church"  has  now  the  limitation  "which 
was  at  Jerusalem,"  because  there  were  other  churches  about 
to  arise,  and  a  note  of  distinction  becomes  necessary.  Note 
the  method  of  Providence  in  extending  the  gospel ;  a  tempest 
of  persecution  scatters  and  spreads  the  seed.  (Compare 
Acts  i.  8.)  Perhaps  the  disciples  had  forgotten  the  commis- 
sion of  the  Saviour,  and  were  now  compelled  to  perform  it. 
Many  times  since  in  the  history  of  the  church  has  compul- 
sory exile  contributed  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The 
famous  Bishop  Ulfilas  was  the  scion  of  a  captive  Christian 
family  of  Cappadocia. 

But  why  should  the  apostles  remain  at  Jerusalem?^ 

'  At  this  point  Dr.  Peck's  manuscript  on  the  Acts  breaks  abruptly  off. 
The  following  "Notes"  are  taken  from  the  interleaved  Greek  text  of  the 
Acts  which  he  was  accustomed  to  use  in  the  class-room,  and  from  loose 
sheets  of  paper  found  chiefly  in  that  volume  at  his  death. — Ed. 


132  Miscellanies. 

Notes. 

Vs.  30.  "  And  Philip  ran  to  him,  and  heard  him  reading 
Esaias  the  prophet,  and  said.  Under standest  thou  ivhat  thou 
readest  f  "  Not  the  law,  which  could  have  no  great  attraction 
for  a  Gentile.  The  law  forbade  the  reception  of  eunuchs  into 
the  church.  (Dent,  xxiii.)  Isaiah  predicted  the  removal  of  all 
such  restrictions.  (Isa.  Ivi.  3-5.)  See,  also,  Jer.  xxxviii.  7-13 ; 
xxxix.  16-18,  for  a  striking  parallel  in  which  the  ''might  of 
the  promise  triumphed  over  the  letter  of  the  law."  The 
seventy,  being  scandalized  at  this,  have  left  out  the  words  "  a 
man  of  the  eunuchs"  in  Jer.  xxxviii.  7  (in  the  Sept.  xlv.  7). 
This  story  of  the  eunuch  does  not  enter  into  or  influence  the 
current  of  the  history.  It  is  like  the  history  of  Melchisedec 
in  the  Old  Testament,  "a  sign."  Its  full  signification  will 
probably  be  apprehended  only  when  "Ethiopia  shall  stretch 
out  her  hands  unto  God."  (See  the  whole  of  the  interesting 
Section  15  in  Baumgarten's  Apostolic  History.)  Note,  also, 
that  this  Cushite  was  a  descendant  of  Ham,  to  whom  only 
of  the  sons  of  Noah  no  spiritual  promises  were  made.  The 
descendants  of  Ham,  therefore,  were  furthest  off  (compare 
Acts  ii.  39)  from  the  salvation  of  Israel.    (Compare  Acts  i.  8.) 

Vs.  32.  This  is  from  the  LXX.,  which  varies  a  good  deal 
from  the  Hebrew.  Alexander  (on  Isaiah,  in  loc.)  thus  trans- 
lates from  the  Hebrew:  "He  was  oppressed,  and  he  humbled 
himself,  and  he  will  not  open  his  mouth — as  a  lamb  to  the 
slaughter  is  brought,  and  as  a  sheep  before  its  shearers  is 
dumb — and  he  will  not  open  his  mouth.  From  distress  and 
judgment  he  was  taken ;  and  in  his  generation  who  will  think 
that  he  was  cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living  for  the  trans- 
gression of  my  people  (as)  a  curse  for  them?  " 

Vs.  38.  eiQ  does  not  imply  "into"  necessarily,  unless  the 
verb  has  e^c  in  composition  also.  (See  John  xx.  4 ;  compare 
with  verses  5,  6.) 

Vs.  39.  yap,  "for,"  may,  in  English,  be  a  particle  '' essendi"' 
or  a  particle  '' cogrioscendi.'''     Thus,  "The  ground  is  wet,  for 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  133 

it  rained  last  night,"  would  be  an  instance  of  the  former. 
The  rain  is  the  cause  of  the  ground  hehig  wet.  "  It  rained 
last  night,  for  the  ground  is  wet,"  would  be  an  instance  of 
the  latter.  The  wetness  of  the  ground  is  the  cause  of  our 
kno^mng  that  it  rained.  So  here,  the  meaning  may  be  that 
the  joy  of  the  eunuch  was  the  cause  of  his  not  seeing  the 
evangelist  (he  was  so  absorbed  in  his  joy  as  not  to  think  of 
the  instrument  of  his  conversion) ;  or  it  may  mean  that  the 
eunuch's  going  on  his  way  was  the  evidence  of  the  absence 
of  Philip  (had  Philip  continued  with  him  he  would  not  have 
gone  on  his  way).  (Bengel,  in  loc,  gives  another  turn  to  it. 
"Hoc  ipso  discessu  conjlrmata  est  eunuchi Jldesy  The  sud- 
den disappearance  of  Philip  made  it  seem  as  if  an  angel 
from  heaven  had  been  sent  to  him.)  As  to  the  two  senses  of 
the  causal  particle  above  noticed,  see  annotations  on  Bacon's 
Essays,  by  Whately  (Essay  V.),  who  illustrates  thus:  "In 
proving  a  gun"  it  is  loaded  to  the  muzzle  and  fired,  and 
bursts  not.  We  say  the  gun  is  good,  for  it  has  been  loaded 
to  the  muzzle,  etc.,  and  did  not  burst.  Here  is  "an  argu- 
ment from  a  sign."  We  say  the  gun  is  good,ybr  it  has  gone 
through  such  and  such  processes  under  a  skillful  metallur- 
gist.    Here  is  an  argument  from  cause  to  effect. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

XVII.  Saul's  Mission  to  Damascus  and  His  Conveksion; 
His  Life  in  Damascus;  His  Visit  to  Jeeusalem  and 
Sending  to  Tarsus.     (Verses  1-30.) 

But  Saul,  yet  breathing  threatening  and  slaughter  against    1 
the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  went  unto  the  high  priest,  and  asked    2 
of  him  letters  to  Damascus  unto  the  synagogues,  that  if  he 
found  any  that  were  of  the  Way,  whether  men  or  women,  he 
might  bring  them  bound  to  Jerusalem.     And  as  he  journeyed,    3 
it  came  to  pass  that  he  drew  nigh  unto  Damascus :  and  sud- 
denly there  shone  round  about  him  a  light  out  of  heaven :  and    4 
he  fell  upon  the  earth,  and  heard  a  voice  saying  unto  him,  Saul, 


134  Miscellanies, 

5  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?     And  he  said,  Who  art  thou, 

6  Lord "?  And  he  said,  I  am  Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest :  but 
rise,  and  enter  into  the  city,  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what  thou 

7  must  do.     And  the  men  that  journeyed  with  him  stood  speech- 

8  less,  hearing  the  voice,  but  beholding  no  man.  And  Saul  arose 
from  the  earth  ;  and  when  his  eyes  were  opened,  he  saw  no- 
thing ;    and  they  led  him  by  the  hand,  and  brought  him  into 

9  Damascus.  And  he  was  three  days  without  sight,  and  did 
neither  eat  nor  drink. 

10  Now  there  was  a  certain  disciple  at  Damascus,  named  Ana- 
nias ;  and  the  Lord  said  unto  him  in  a  vision,  Ananias.     And 

11  he  said.  Behold,  I  am  here,  Lord.  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
him,  Arise,  and  go  to  the  street  which  is  called  Straight,  and 
inquire  in  the  house  of  Judas  for  one  named  Saul,  a  man  of 

12  Tarsus  for  behold,  he  prayeth;  and  he  hath  seen  a  man 
named  Ananias  commg  in,  and  laying  his  hands  on  him,  that  he 

13  might  receive  his  sight.  But  Ananias  answered,  Lord,  I  have 
heard  from  many  of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he  did  to  thy 

14  saints  at  Jerusalem  :  and  here  he  hath  authority  fi'om  the  chief 

15  priests  to  bind  al)  that  call  upon  thy  name.  But  the  Lord  said 
unto  him,  Go  thy  way :  for  he  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  me,  to 
bear  my  name  before  the  Gentiles  and  kings,  and  the  children 

16  of  Israel :  for  I  will  shew  him  how  many  things  he  must  suffer 

17  for  my  name  s  sake.  And  Ananias  departed,  and  entered  into 
the  house ;  and  laying  his  hands  on  him  said,  Brother  Saul,  the 
Lord,  even  Jesus,  who  appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  which 
thou  camest,  hath  sent  me,  that  thou  mayest  receive  thy  sight, 

18  and  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  straightway  there  fell 
from  his  eyes  as  it  w^ere  scales,  and  he  received  his  sight ;  and 

19  he  arose  and  was  baptized ;  and  he  took  food  and  was  strength- 
ened. 

And  he  was  certain  days  with  the  disciples  which  were  at 

20  Damascus.     And  straightway  in  the  synagogues  he  proclaimed 

21  Jesus,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God.  And  all  that  heard  him  were 
amazed,  and  said.  Is  not  this  he  that  in  Jerusalem  made  havoc 
of  them  which  called  on  this  name?  and  he  had  come  hither  for 
this  intent,  that  he  might  bring  them  bound  before  the  chief 

22  priests.  But  Saul  increased  the  more  in  strength,  and  con- 
founded the  Jews  which  dwelt  at  Damascus,  proving  that  this 
is  the  Christ. 

23  And  when  many  days  were  fulfilled,  the  Jews  took  counsel 

24  together  to  kill  him :  but  their  plot  became  known  to  Saul.  And 
they  watched  the  gates  also  day  and  night,  that  they  might  kill 

25  him ;  but  his  disciples  took  him  by  night,  and  let  him  down 
through  the  wall,  lowering  him  in  a  basket. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  135 

And  when  lie  was  come  to  Jerusalem,  he  assayed  to  join  him-  26 
self  to  the  disciples:  and  they  were  all  afraid  of  him,  not  be- 
lieving that  he  was  a  disciple      But  Barnabas  took  him,  and  27 
brought  him  to  the  apostles,  and  declared  unto  them  how  he 
had  seen  the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  that  he  had  spoken  to  him, 
and  how  at  Damascus  he  had  preached  boldly  in  the  name  of 
Jesus.     And  he  was  with  them  going  in  and  going  out  at  Jeru-  28 
salem,  preaching  boldly  in  the  name  of  the  Lord:  and  he  spake  29 
and  disputed  against  the  Grecian  Jews;  but  they  went  about 
to  kill  him.    And  when  the  brethren  knew  it,  they  brought  him  30 
down  to  Ctesarea,  and  sent  him  forth  to  Tarsus. 

Vs.  9.  During  these  "three  days"  Saul  was  in  the  "belly 
of  hell,"  as  Jonah  was  while  in  the  fish's  belly  (Jonah  ii.  2) : 
(1),  In  the  agony  occasioned  by  conviction  of  sin  (Eom.  vii. 
7-11) ;  (2),  In  preparation  to  become  the  apostle  to  the  Oen- 
tiles.  Compare  the  history  of  Jonah,  who,  before  the  experi- 
ence of  those  three  days,  could  not  be  induced  to  preach  to 
the  Gentile  Ninevites.  A  Jew,  under  any  circumstances, 
needed  some  extraordinary  providence  to  make  him  a  mis- 
sionary to  the  Gentiles.  Compare  Peter's  experience  in  the 
tenth  chapter  of  Acts.  A  still  further  preparation  was  needed 
for  Paul  as  an  apostle,  like  that  which  the  twelve  had  in  a 
three  years'  intercourse  with  Jesus.  He  was,  therefore,  sent 
into  Arabia  for  three  years  (probably).  Compare  Luther  in 
his  cell  and  in  the  Wartburg ;  Calvin's  exile  from  Geneva  ; 
Bunyan's  imprisonment  in  Bedford  jail,  etc.,  etc. 

Vs.  23.  ^[lepac  Uaval,  "many  days,"  "three  years."  (Gal. 
i.  18.  Compare  1  Kings  ii.  38,  39.)  Contrast  verse  19,  riaepac 
rtva^.  This  verse  23  may  note  the  time  passed  after  Paul's 
return  to  Damascus,  mentioned  in  Galatians  i.  17.  (Thomas 
Binnie.) 

Vs.  26.  This  visit  to  Jerusalem  took  place  after  the  jour- 
ney to  Arabia.  (See  Gal.  i.  17,  18.)  There  is  great  doubt  as 
to  where  this  sojourn  in  Arabia  is  to  be  inserted  in  Luke's 
narrative,  whether  between  verses  19  and  20,  or  even  before 
verse  19 ;  or  between  verses  25  and  26,  or  before  verse  22. 
The  last  seems  most  probable.    It  may  be  further  noted  that 


136  Miscellanies. 

in  First  Kings  ii.  38,  compared  with  the  next  verse,  "many 
days"  are  "three  years."  Note  the  difference  in  the  account 
of  Paul's  preaching  in  verse  20  and  verse  22.  This  falls  in 
with  the  view  that  the  visit  to  Arabia  is  to  be  put  before 
verse  22.  At  first  he  simply  proclaimed  {ex-/jpoaazv)  Jesus  as 
the  Son  of  God  (out  of  the  personal  conviction  produced  by 
the  scene  on  the  road) ;  afterwards  he  proved  {(TUf^jSiiSa^iov) 
from  the  Old  Testament  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ.  (See  on 
verse  23,  above.) 

XVIII.  The  Kest  of  the  Churches.  Peter's  Work  of 
Healing  at  Lydda  and  Joppa,  and  His  Stay  at  Joppa. 
(Verses  31-43.) 

31  So  the  church  throughout  all  Judsea  and  Galilee  and  Samaria 
had  peace,  being  editied ;  and,  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
and  m  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  was  multiplied. 

32  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  Peter  went  throughout  all  parts,  he 

33  came  down  also  to  the  saints  which  dwelt  at  Lydda.  And  there 
he  found  a  certain  man  named  iEneas,  which  had  kept  his  bed 

34  eight  years ;  for  he  was  palsied.  And  Peter  said  unto  him, 
J^^neas,  Jesus  Christ  healeth  thee:   arise,  and  make  thy  bed. 

35  And  straightway  he  arose.  And  all  that  dwelt  at  Lydda  and  in 
Sharon  saw  him,  and  they  turned  to  the  Lord. 

36  Now  there  was  at  Joppa  a  certain  disciple  named  Tabitha, 
which  by  interpretation  is  called  Dorcas:  this  woman  was  full 

37  of  good  works  and  almsdeeds  which  she  did.  And  it  came  to 
pass  in  those  days,  that  she  fell  sick,  and  died:   and  when  they 

38  had  washed  her,  they  laid  her  in  an  upper  chamber.  And  as 
Lydda  was  nigh  unto  Joppa,  the  disciples,  hearing  that  Peter 
was  there,  sent  two  men  unto  him,  intreating  him,  Delay  not  to 

39  come  on  unto  us.  And  Peter  arose  and  went  with  them.  And 
when  he  was  come,  they  brought  him  into  the  upper  chamber : 
and  all  the  widows  stood  by  him  weeping,  and  shewing  the  coats 
and  garments  which  Dorcas  made,  while  she  was  with  them. 

40  But  Peter  put  them  all  forth,  and  kneeled  down,  and  prayed ; 
and  turning  to  the  body,   he   said,   Tabitha,   arise.     And  she 

41  opened  her  eyes;  and  when  she  saw  Peter,  she  sat  up.  And  he 
gave  her  his  hand,  and  raised  her  up ;  and  calling  the  saints  and 

42  widows,  he  presented  her  alive.     And  it  became  known  through- 

43  out  all  Joppa:  and  many  believed  on  the  Lord.  And  it  came  to 
pass  that  he  abode  many  days  in  Joppa  with  one  Simon  a  tanner. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  137 

Vs.  31.  Killen  says  {Ancient  Christian  Cliurch,  page  249, 
foot-note)  that  the  true  reading  here  is  zxxXqaia,  in  the  sin- 
gular, a  reading  supported  by  the  most  ancient  manuscripts, 
including  A  B  C ;  by  the  Vulgate  and  nearly  all  the  ancient 
versions,  including  the  old  Syriac,  Coptic,  Sahidic,  Ethio- 
pian, Arabic  of  Erpenius,  and  Armenian  ;  and  by  the  most 
distinguished  critics,  such  as  Lachmanu,  Tischendorf,  Alford, 
and  Tregelles,  etc.  This  was  the  reading,  too,  preferred  by 
the  revisers. 

Vs.  32.  Lydda.  Lod  in  Old  Testament  (1  Chron.  viii.  12 ; 
Ezra  ii.  33 ;  Neh.  vii.  37 ;  xi.  35),  afterwards  Diospolis.  The 
article  before  lapov  is  a  reproduction  of  the  Hebrew  "Hash- 
Sharon,"  the  Sharon,  like  "  the  Downs  "  in  English.  Lydda 
was  the  town ;  Sharon  the  district  in  the  neighborhood. 
(Smith's  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  s.  v.  "  Saron,"  quoted  by 
Lightf  oot  on  Revision  of  the  New  Testavient,  page  108,  Lon- 
don, 1871.) 


CHAPTER  X. 

XIX.  Petee  Deiven  by  Divine  Eevelation  and  Peovidence 
to  the  Reception  of  Gentiles  into  the  Chuech  ;  oe 
Cornelius  Warned  to  Send  foe  Peter.  Peter  Pre- 
pared FOR  the  Visit.  Arrival  of  the  Messengers 
FROM  Cornelius.  Peter's  Going  with  them  to  C^sa- 
rea.  Their  Reception  by  Cornelius.  Peter's  Ad- 
dress. Outpouring  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  Cornelius 
AND  HIS  Friends,  and  their  Reception  into  the  Church. 
(Verses  1-48.) 

Now  there  was  a  certain  man  in  Csesarea,  Cornelius  by  name,    1 
a  centurion  of  the  band  called  the  Italian  band,  a  devout  man, 
and  one  that  feared  God  with  all  his  house,  who  gave  much     2 
alms  to  the  people,  and  prayed  to  God  alway.     He  saw  in  a    3 
vision  openly,  as  it  were  about  the  ninth  hour  of  the  day,  an 
angel  of  God  coming  in  rmto  him,  and  saying  to  him,  Cornelius. 

And  he,  fastening  his  eyes  upon  him,  and  being  affrighted,    4 
said.  What  is  it  Lord?     And  he  said  unto  him,  Thy  prayers  and 


138  Miscellanies. 

5  thiue  alms  are  gone  up  for  a  memorial  before  God.     Aud  now 
send  men  to  Joppa,   and  fetch  one  Simon,  who  is  surnamed 

6  Peter:  he  lodgeth  with  one  Simon  a  tanner,  whose  house  is  by 

7  the  sea  side.     And  when  the  angel  who  spake  unto  him  was 
departed,  he  called  two  of  his  household-servants,  and  a  devout 

8  soldier  of  them  that  waited  on  him   continually ;    and  having 
rehearsed  all  things  unto  them,  he  sent  them  to  Joppa. 

9  Now  on  the  morrow,  as  they  were  on  their  journey,  and  drew 
nigh  unto  the  city,  Peter  went  up  upon  the  housetop  to  "pvaj, 

10  about  the  sixth  hour :  and  he  became  hungry,    and  desired  to 

11  eat :  but  while  they  made  ready,  he  fell  into  a  trance;  and  he  be- 
holdeth  the  heaven  opened,  and  a  certain  vessel  descending,  as 
it  were  a  great  sheet,  let  down  by  four  corners  upon  the  earth: 

12  wherein  were   all  manner  of  fourfooted  beasts    and   creeping 

13  things  of  the  earth  and  fowls  of  the  heaven.     And  there  came  a 

14  voice  to  him.  Rise,  Peter ;  kill  and  eat.  But  Peter  said.  Not  so. 
Lord;  for  I  have  never   eaten   anything  that  is  common    and 

15  unclean.     And  a  voice  came  unto  him  again  the  second  time, 

16  What  God  hath  cleansed,  make  not  thou  common.  And  this 
was  done  thrice ;  and  straightway  the  vessel  was  received  up  into 
heaven. 

17  Now  while  Peter  was  much  perplexed  in  himself  what  the 
vision  which  he  had  seen  might  mean,  behold,  the  men  that 

18  were  sent  by  Cornelius,  having  made  inquiry  for  Simon's  house, 
stood  before  the  gate,  and  called  and  asked  whether  Simon, 

19  which  was  surnamed  Peter,  were  lodging  there.  Aud  while 
Peter  thought  on  the  vision,  the  Spirit  said  unto  him.  Behold, 

20  three  men  seek  thee.     But  arise,  and  get   thee  down,  and  go 

21  with  them,  nothing  doubting:  for  I  have  sent  them.  And  Peter 
went  down  to  the  men,  and  said.  Behold,  I  am  he  whom  ye 

22  seek :  what  is  the  cause  wherefore  ye  are  come?  And  they 
said,  Cornelius,  a  centurion,  a  righteous  man  and  one  that 
feareth  God,  and  well  reported  of  by  all  the  nation  of  the  Jews, 
was  warned  of  God  by  a  holy  angel  to  send  for  thee  into  his 

23  house,  and  to  hear  words  from  thee.  So  he  called  them  in  and 
lodged  them. 

And  on  the  morrow  he  arose  and  went  forth  with  them,  and  cer- 

24  tain  of  the  brethren  from  Joppa  accompanied  him.  And  on  the 
morrow  they  entered  into  Csesarea.  And  Cornelius  was  waiting 
for  them,  having  called  together  his  kinsmen  and  his  near  friends. 

25  And  when  it  came  to  pass  that  Peter  entered,  Cornelius  met 

26  him,  and  fell  down  at  his  feet  and  worshipped  him.     But  Peter 

27  raised  him  up,  saying,  Stand  wp;  I  myself  also  am  a  man. 
And  as  he  talked  with  him,  he  went  in,  and  findeth  many  come 

28  together:  and  he  said  unto  them.  Ye  yourselves  know  how  that 
it  is  an  unlawful  thing  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew  to.  join  himself 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  139 

or  come  unto  one  of  another  nation :   and  yet  unto  me  hath  God 
shewed  that  I   should  not  call  any  man  common  or  unclean: 
wherefore  also  I  came  without  gainsaying,  when  I  was  sent  for.  29 
I  ask  therefore  with  what  intent  ye  sent  for  me.     And  Cornelius  30 
said,  Four  days  ago,  until  this  hour,  I  was  keeping  the  ninth 
hour  of  prayer  in  my  house;   and  behold,  a  man  stood  before  me 
in  bright  apparel,  and  saith,  Cornelius,  thy  prayer  is  heard,  and  31 
thine  alms  are  had  in  remembrance  in  the  sight  of  God.     Send  32 
therefore  to  Joppa,  and  call  unto  thee  Simon,  who  is  surnamed 
Peter;  he  lodgeth  in  the  house  of  one  Simon  a  tanner,  by  the 
sea  side.     Forthwith  therefoi-e  I  sent  to  thee;  and  thou  hast  33 
well  done  that  thou  art  come.     Now  therefore  we  are  all  here 
present  in  the  sight  of   God  to  hear  all  things  that  have  been 
commanded  thee  of  the  Lord.     And  Peter  opened  his  mouth,  34 
and  said. 

Of  a  truth  1  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons  :   but  35 
in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  him,  and  worketh  righteousness, 
is  acceptable  to  him.     The  word  which  he  sent  unto  the  chil-  36 
dren  of  Israel,  preaching  good  tidings  of  peace  by  Jesus  Christ 
(he  is  Lord  of  all) — that  saying  ye  yourselves  know,  which  was  37 
published  throughout  all  Judtea,  beginning  from  Galilee,  after 
the  baptism  which  John  preached  ;  even  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  how  38 
that  God  anointed  him  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power : 
who  went  about  doing  good,  and  healing  all  that  were  oppressed 
of  the  devil;  for  God  was  with  him.     And  we  are  witnesses  of  39 
all  things  which  he  did  both  in  the  country  of  the  Jews,  and  in 
Jerusalem  ;  whom  also  they  slew,  hanging  him  on  a  tree      Him  40 
God  raised  up  the  third  day,  and  gave  him  to  be  made  mani- 
fest, not  to  all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses  that  w^ere  chosen  41 
before  of  God,  even  to  us,  who  did  eat  and  drink  with  him  after 
he  rose  from  the  dead.     And  he  charged  us  to  pi'each  unto  the  42 
people,  and  to  testify  that  this  is  he  which  is  ordained  of  God 
to  be  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead      To  him  bear  all  the  pro-  43 
phets  witness,  that  through  his  name  every  one  that  believeth 
on  him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins. 

While  Peter  yet  spake  these  words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  44 
them  which  heard  the  word.      And    they  of  the  circumcision  45 
which  believed  were  amazed,  as  many  as  came  with  Peter,  be- 
cause that  on  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.      For  they  heard  them  speak  with  tongues,  and  46 
magnify  God.     Then  answered  Peter,  Can  any  man  forbid  the  47 
water,  that  these  should  not  be  baptized,  which  have  received 
the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we?     And  he  commanded  them  to  48 
be  baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.     Then  prayed  they  him 
to  tarrv  certain  days. 


140  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  4.  Notice  the  difference  in  the  order  of  alms  and 
prayer  in  this  verse  as  compared  with  verse  2.  Alms  more 
conspicuous  before  men,  prayer  before  God.  (See  Bengel.) 
Note,  also,  the  use  the  papists  make  of  this  verse  in  support 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  merit  of  congruity  and  condiguity. 
(See  Calvin,  in.  loc.) 

Vs.  8.  Some  French  writer  has  remarked  that  "a  man's 
greatest  enemy  is  his  valet  de  charnhre^  Men  unbend  in 
private  and  show  their  true  character,  their  weakness  and 
wickedness.  This,  therefore,  is  a  signal  testimony  to  the 
exemplary  character  of  the  centurion,  that  one  who  was  con- 
stantly with  him  should  have  been  won  to  the  Lord  by  the 
godly  conversation  of  his  master.  So  Anselm  (in  Ryle  on 
Luke  V.  16)  says  of  Judas  Iscariot :  Judas  was  chosen  that  the 
Lord  might  have  an  enemy  among  his  domestic  attendants; 
for  that  man  is  perfect  who  has  no  cause  to  shrink  from  the 
observation  of  a  wicked  man  conversant  with  all  his  ways. 

Vs.  15.  Hence  the  obstinate  adherence  to  these  distinc- 
tions under  the  gospel  is  a  virtual  denial  of  the  gospel.  (See 
1  Tim.  iv.  3 ;  Heb.  xiii.  9.  On  the  pleonasm  -dXcv  ix  osuTSftou 
compare  GaL  iv.  9;  Matt.  xxvi.  42;  John  iv.  54;  xxi.  16.) 

Vs.  17.  Having  ascertained,  or  found  out  by  inquiry,  is 
probably  the  full  sense  of  dcsfHOTr^aavTSi;.  (Alexander,  in  loc.) 
(Compare  Gal.  i.  18.) 

Vs.  20.  dsaxfHuofievo!;.  In  the  active  voice,  separating,  dis- 
tinguishing, deciding.  In  the  middle,  to  differ,  either  with 
others  (dispute),  or  with  one's  self  (to  hesitate  or  waver).  The 
meaning  seems  to  be  not  making  a  difference  between  Jew 
and  Gentile.     (Alexander.) 

Vs.  22.  ly^iirmaziaQq.  1.  To  transact  business,  especially 
money  matters.  2.  To  confer  or  negotiate  on  state  affairs. 
3.  To  give  an  answer  after  such  negotiation ;  also  applied  to  re- 
sponses of  oracles,  and  in  Scripture  to  divine  communications, 
more  especially  to  those  made  to  individuals.  (Alexander. 
See  on  Acts  ii.  26,  infra.) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  141 

Vs.  28.  '^i/i^c  =  jus,  fas,  custom  ;  vofjio^  =  lex,  statute. 
(Compare  1  Peter,  iv.  3.)  In  classic  Greek,  the  older  writers, 
like  Homer  and  Sophocles,  employ  &ta{toc.  for  the  divine  law, 
vxfLoc.  for  a  human  statute.  (Schmidt's  Synoraik,  cited  by 
Shedd  on  Eom.  vii.  23.) 

Vs.  30.  The  words  "  vr^azei)io\>  xai "  of  the  Authorized  Version 
are  omitted  by  Lachmann  and  Tischendorf  and  ovir  revisers. 
They  are  not  in  the  Sinaitic  manuscript  nor  in  the  Vulgate. 
But  without  them  the  sentence  is  not  natural.  "Four  days 
ago,  until  this  hour,  I  was  keeping  the  ninth  hour  of  prayer," 
etc.,  is  the  version  of  the  Revised  New  Testament. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

XX.  The  Strife  at  Jerusalem  over  Peter's  Conduct  in 
the  House  of  Cornelius,  and  Peter's  Defence.  Fur- 
ther Spread  of  the  Gospel  as  far  as  Antioch.  In 
Prophetic  Vision  of  a  Famine,  the  Church  at  Antioch 
Sends  Relief  to  Jerusalem.     (Verses  1-30.) 

Now  the  apostles  and  the  brethren  that  were  in  Judsea  heard    1 
that  the  Gentiles  also  had  received  the  word  of  God.    And  when    2 
Peter  was  come  up  to  Jerusalem,  they  that  were  of  the  circum- 
cision contended  with  him,  saj'ing,  Thou  wentest  in  to  men  un-    3 
circumcised,  and  didst  eat  with  them.     But  Peter  began,  and    4 
expounded  the  matter  unto  them  in  order,  saying,  I  was  in  the    5 
city  of  Joppa  praying :  and  in  a  trance  I  saw  a  vision,  a  certain 
vessel  descending,  as  it  were  a  great  sheet  let  down  from  heaven 
by  four  corners ;   and  it  came  even  unto  me :  upon  the  which    6 
when  I  had  fastened  mine  eyes,  I  considered,  and  saw  the  four- 
footed  beasts  of  the  earth  and  wild  beasts  and  creepiug  things    ■ 
and  fowls  of  the  heaven.     And  I  heard  also  a  voice  saying  unto    7 
me,  Rise,  Peter ;  kill  and  eat.     But  I  said.  Not  so,  Lord ;  for    8 
nothing  common  or  unclean  hath  ever  entered  into  my  mouth. 
But  a  voice  answered  the  second  time  out  of  heaven.  What  God    9 
hath  cleansed,  make  not  thou  common.     And  this  was  done  10 
thrice:  and  all  were  drawn  up  again  into  heaven.     And,  be- 11 
hold,  forthwith  three  men  stood  before  the  house  in  which  we 
were,  having  been  sent  from  Cfesarea  unto  me.    And  the  Spirit  12 
bade  me  go  with  them,  making  no  distinction.     And  these  six 


142  Miscellanies. 

brethren  also  accompanied  me ;  and  we  entered  into  the  man's 

13  house :  and  he  told  us  how  he  had  seen  the  angel  standing  in 
his  house,  and  saying,  Send  to  Joppa,  and  fetch  Simon,  whose 

14  surname  is  Peter,  who  shall  speak  unto  thee  words,  whereby 

15  thou  shalt  be  saved,  thou  and  all  thy  house.  And  as  I  began 
to  speak,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them,  even  as  on  us  at  the  be- 

16  ginning.  And  I  remembered  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  that 
he  said,  John  indeed  baptized  with  water;  but  ye  shall  be  bap- 

17  tized  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  If  then  God  gave  unto  them  the 
like  gift  as  he  did  also  unto  us,  when  we  believed  on  the  Lord 

18  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  I,  that  I  could  withstand  God  ?  And 
when  they  heard  these  things,  they  held  their  peace,  and  glori- 
fied God,  saying,  Then  to  the  Gentiles  also  hath  God  granted 
repentance  unto  life. 

19  They  therefore  that  were  scattered  abroad  upon  the  tribula- 
tion that  arose  about  Stephen  travelled  as  far  as  Phoenicia,  and 
Cyprus,  and  Antioch,  speaking  the  word  to  none  save  only  to 

20  Jews.  But  there  were  some  of  them,  men  of  Cyprus  and  Cy- 
rene,  who,  when  they  were  come  to  Antioch,  spake  unto  the 

21  Greeks  also,  preaching  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  the  hand  of  the 
Lord  was  with  them :  and  a  great  number  that  believed  turned 

22  unto  the  Lord.  And  the  report  concerning  them  came  to  the 
ears  of  the  church  which  was  in  Jerusalem :  and  they  sent  forth 

23  Barnabas  as  far  as  Antioch :  who,  when  he  was  come,  and  had 
seen  the  grace  of  God,  was  glad ;  and  he  exhorted  them  all, 
that  with  purpose  of  heart  they  would  cleave  unto  the  Lord : 

24  for  he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith: 

25  and  much  people  was  added  unto  the  Lord.    And  he  went  forth 

26  to  Tarsus  to  seek  for  Saul :  and  when  he  had  found  him,  he 
brought  him  unto  Antioch.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  even  for 
a  whole  year  they  were  gathered  together  with  the  church,  and 
taught  much  people ;  and  that  the  disciples  were  called  Chris- 
tians first  in  Antioch. 

27  Now  in  these  days  there  came  down  prophets  from  Jerusalem 

28  unto  Antioch.  And  there  stood  up  one  of  them  named  Agabus, 
and  signified  by  the  Spirit  that  there  should  be  a  great  famine 
over  all  the  world :  which  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Claudius. 

29  And  the  disciples,  every  man  according  to  his  ability,  deter- 
mined to  send  relief  unto  the  brethren  that  dwelt  in  Judaea: 

30  which  also  they  did,  sending  it  to  the  elders  by  the  hand  of 
Barnabas  and  Saul. 

Ys.  2.  This  class  of  good  people  was,  no  doubt,  represented 
by  the  "elder  brother"  in  the  parable  of  the  lost  son  (Luke 
XV.),  and  by  good  people  who  are  staggered  by  God's  saving 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  143 

sinners  whom  they  did  not  expect  him  to  save,  or  by  his  sav- 
ing them  in  a  manner  that  they  did  not  expect. 

Vs.  22.  Here  the  body  of  believers  in  Jerusalem  is  not  only 
individualized  as  "the  church,"  hut  perso7iified  as  having 
ears.     (Alexander,  in  loco.) 

Vs.  26.  The  use  of  this  word  •/^or^io-iaac  would  seem  to  indi- 
cate that  this  designation  was  given  to  believers  by  divine  ap- 
pointment. Compare  Matthew  ii.  12,  22 ;  Luke  ii.  26 ;  Acts  x. 
22 ;  Hebrews  viii.  5 ;  xi.  7 ;  xii.  25.  (Dodd.)  But  see  Kom.  vii. 
3,  where  it  evidently  has  no  such  sense.  (See  on  Acts  x.  22, 
supra.)  T^or  the  difference  between  the  active  and  passive 
use  of  "Christian,"  see  Trollope's  note  on  Matthew  ii.  12.* 

Vs.  29.  7is.ml<ai  seems  to  be  a  substantive  infinitive  governed 
by  w(naap,  a  verb  which  usually  takes  the  accusative  case 
(see  Acts  xvii.  26,  31,  and  compare  Heb.  iv.  7),  and  is  the 
antecedent  of  the  relative  o  in  the  next  verse.  Otherwise  it 
is  governed  by  wocaav,  as  one  verb  in  the  infinitive  is  governed 
by  another,  and  is  the  only  case  of  such  an  use  of  opi^eiv  in 
the  New  Testament.     (See  Alexander,  i?i  loco.) 


CHAPTER  XII. 

XXI.     Hekod's    Persecution    of    the    Church.      Peter's 

Deliverance   from   Prison  and  the  Effect   Thereof 

ON  HIS  Brethren  and  Herod.     The  Death  of  Herod 

AND  THE  Growth  of  the  Church.     (Verses  1-25.) 

Now  about  that  time  Herod  the  king  put  forth  his  hands  to    1 
afflict  certain  of  the  church.     And  he  killed  James  the  brother    2 
of  John  with  the  sword.     And  when  he  saw  that  it  pleased  the    3 
Jews,  he  proceeded  to  seize  Peter  also.     And  those  were  days 
of  unleavened  bread.     And  when  he  had  taken  him,  he  put  him    4 
in  prison,  and  delivered  him  to  four  quaternions  of  soldiers  to 
guard  him ;  intending  after  the  Passover  to  bring  him  forth  to 
the  people.     Peter  therefore  was  kept  in  the  prison:  but  prayer    5 
was  made  earnestly  of  the  church  unto  God  for  him.    And  when    6 
Herod  was  about  to  bring  him  forth,  the  same  night  Peter  was 
sleeping  between   two  soldiers,   bound  with  "two  chains,   and 


144  Miscellanies. 

7  guards  before  the  door  kept  the  prison.  And  behold,  an  angel 
of  the  Lord  stood  by  him,  and  a  light  shined  in  the  cell:  and  he 
smote  Peter  on  the  side,  and  awoke  him,  saying.  Rise  up  quickly, 

8  and  his  chains  fell  off  from  his  hands.  And  the  angel  said 
unto  him,  Gird  thyself,  and  bind  on  thy  sandals.  And  he  did 
so.     And  he  said  unto  him,  Cast  thy  garment  about  thee,  and 

9  follow  me.  And  he  went  out,  and  followed;  and  he  wist  not 
that  it  was  true  which  was  done  by  the  angel,  but  thought  he 

10  saw  a  vision.  And  when  they  were  past  the  first  and  second 
ward,  they  came  unto  the  iron  gate  that  leadeth  into  the  city; 
which  opened  to  them  of  its  own  accord:  and  they  went  out, 
and  passed  on  through  one  street;  and  straightway  the  angel 

11  departed  from  him.  And  when  Peter  was  come  to  himself,  he 
said,  Now  I  know  of  a  truth,  that  the  Lord  hath  sent  forth  his 
angel  and  delivered  me  out  of  the  hand  of  Herod,  and  from  all 

12  the  expectation  of  the  people  of  the  Jews.  And  when  he  had 
considered  the  thing,  he  came  to  the  house  of  Mary  the  mother 
of  John  whose  surname  was  Mark;  where  many  were  gathered 

13  together  and  were  praying.     And  when  he  knocked  at  the  door 

14  of  the  gate,  a  maid  came  to  answer,  named  Rboda.  And  when 
she  knew  Peter's  voice,  she  opened  not  the  gate  for  joy,  but  ran 

15  in,  and  told  that  Peter  stood  before  the  gate.  And  they  said 
unto  her,  Thou  art  mad.     But  she  confidently  affirmed  that  it 

16  was  even  so.  And  they  said,  It  is  his  angel.  But  Peter  con- 
tinued knocking:  and  when  they  had  opened,  they  saw  him, 

17  and  were  amazed.  But  he,  beckoning  unto  them  with  the  hand 
to  hold  their  peace,  declared  unto  them  how  the  Lord  had 
brought  him  forth  out  of  the  prison.  And  he  said.  Tell  these 
things  unto  James,  and  to  the  brethren.    And  he  departed,  and 

18  went  to  another  place.  Now  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  there  was 
no  small  stir  among  the  soldiers,  w^hat  was  become  of  Peter. 

19  And  when  Herod  had  sought  for  him,  and  found  him  not,  he 
examined  the  guards,  and  commanded  that  they  should  be  put 
to  death.  And  he  went  down  from  Judsea  to  Csesarea,  and 
tarried  there. 

20  Now  he  was  highly  displeased  with  them  of  Tyre  and  Sidon : 
and  they  came  with  one  accord  to  him,  and,  having  made 
Blastus  the  king's  chamberlain  their  friend,  they  asked  for 
peace,  because  their  country  was  fed  from  the  king's  country. 

21  And  upon  a  set  day  Herod  arrayed  himself  in  royal  apparel, 

22  and  sat  on  the  throne,  and  made  an  oration  unto  them.  And 
the  people  shouted,  saying,  The  voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a 

23  man.  And  immediately  an  angel  of  the  Lord  smote  him,  be- 
cause he  gave  not  God  the  glory:  and  he  was  eaten  of  worms, 
and  gave  up  the  ghost. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  op  the  Apostles.  145 

But  the  -word  of  God  grew  aud  multiplied.  24 

And  Barnabas  and  Saul  returned  from  Jerusalem,  when  they  25 

had  fulfilled  their  ministration,  taking  with  them  John  whose 

surname  was  Mark. 

Ys.  4.  -aaya,  absurdly  rendered  "Easter"  in  King  James' 
Yersion.  This  was  not  a  Christian,  but  the  Jewish  fes- 
tival. 

Ys.  5.  kzYjpecro.  So  used  by  Matthew.  (Acts  xxvii.  36,  54; 
xxviii.  4.)  In  John,  always  in  the  sense  of  e\ih.ev preserving 
or  ol>servi7}g.     (Acts  ii.  10;  viii.  51  andj9ass?m.) 

Ys.  7.  e-eazTj,  "suddenly  appeared."  (See  Luke  xxiv.  4, 
and  the  note  there.)  Compare  below,  aTreoxYj,  "disappeared 
suddenly,"  or  "vanished." 

Ys.  10.  (fif>o<jaav,  intransitive.  It  is  a  false  canon  that  no 
form  of  expression  is  to  be  used,  the  grammatical  propriety 
of  which  cannot  be  indicated.  Xenophon  uses  this  very 
participle  if£[>co  in  the  same  way.  So  in  the  English:  "the 
road  leads  to";  so  also  the  like  idioms,  "the  land  grows 
wheat,"  "he  walks  his  horse,"  etc,  (See  Webster's  Syntax 
of  the  New  Testament,  p.  26.)  See  Shakespeare,  "As  You 
Like  It,"  act  I.,  scene  1,  line  133,  "  Had  as  lief,"  which 
Rolfe  says  (note  on  this  line)  is  "good  old  English,"  but 
condemned  by  some  grammar-mongers  because  they  cannot 
"parse  "  it. 

Ys.  15.  "■It  is  his  angeiy  Even  if  the  disciples  thought 
that  Peter  had  a  "guardian  angel,"  it  proves  nothing  except 
that  they  thought  so.  It  is  evident  that  Peter  himself 
did  not  think  of  an  angel  at  all  until  verse  11,  and  then  he 
speaks  of  the  angel  not  as  his,  but  as  the  Lord's.  (See  Ode's 
Treatise  De  Angelis  quoted  by  Fairbairne  in  his  Hevmeneu- 
tical  Mantial,  p.  249.) 

Ys.  21.  wjTouz.  The  ambassadors  of  Tyre  and  Sidon.    (See 
the  very  ingenious   observations  of  Baumgarten  on  verses 
18-25  in  his  Apostolic  History,  Book  2,  Section  20,  pp.  317 
et  seq.,  of  Yol.  I.) 
10 


146  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  22.  The  Greeks  had  no  words  to  distinguisli  the  ideas 
oi  populus  and  plebeians  ;  b-qytoc,  stands  for  both.  (Compare 
also  lem  {yofioc^  and  jus  ( — ).     See  Acts  x.  28.) 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


XXII.  The  Separation  of  Paul  to  Missionary  Work — 
His  First  Missionary  Tour  as  Far  as  Antioch  in 
PisiDiA.    (Verses  1-52.) 

1  Now  there  were  at  Antioch,  in  the  church  that  was  there, 
prophets  and  teachers,  Barnabas,  and  Symeon  that  was  caUed 
Niger,  and  Lucius  of  Cj^rene,  and  Manaen  the  foster-brother  of 

2  Herod  the  tetrarch,  and  Saul.  And  as  they  ministered  to  the 
Lord,  and  fasted,  the  Holy  Ghost  said,  Separate  me  Barnabas 

3  and  Saul  for  the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them.  Then, 
when  they  had  fasted  and  prayed  and  laid  their  hands  on  them, 
they  sent  them  away. 

4  So  they,  being-  sent  forth  l)y  the  Holy  Ghost,  went  down  to 

5  Seleucia;  and  from  thence  they  sailed  to  Cyprus.  And  when 
they  were  at  Salamis,  they  proclaimed  the  word  of  God  in  the 
synagogues  of  the  Jews :  and  they  had  also  John  as  their  attend- 

6  ant.  And  when  they  had  gone  through  the  whole  island  unto 
Paphos,  they  found  a  certain  sorcerer,  a  false  jjrophet,  a  Jew, 

7  whose  name  was  Barjesus,  which  was  with  the  proconsul, 
Sergius  Paulus,  a  man  of  understanding.  The  same  called  unto 
him  Barnabas  and  Saul,  and  sought  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

8  But  Elymas  the  sorcerer  (for  so  is  his  name  by  interpretation) 
withstood  them,  seeking  to  turn  aside  the  proconsul  from  the 

9  faith.     But  Saul,  who  is  also  called  Paul,  filled  with  the  Holy 

10  Ghost,  fastened  his  eyes  on  him,  and  said,  O  full  of  all  guile 
and  all  villauy,  thou  son  of  the  devil,  thou  enemy  of  all  right- 
eousness, wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of  the 

11  Lord?  And  now,  behold,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  upon  thee, 
and  thou  shalt  be  blind,  not  seeing  the  sun  for  a  season.  And 
immediately  there   fell  on  him  a  mist  and  a  dai'kness;    and 

12  he  went  about  seeking  some  to  lead  him  by  the  hand.  Then 
the  proconsul,  when  he  saw  what  was  done,  believed,  being 
astonished  at  the  teaching  of  the  Lord. 

13  Now  Paul  and  his  company  set  sail  from  Paphos,  and  came 
to  Perga  in  Pamphylia:   and  John  departed  from  them   and 

14  returned  to  Jerusalem.     But  they,  passing  through  from  Perga, 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  147 

came  to  Antioch  of  Pisidia;  and  they  went  into  the  synagogue 
on  the  sabbath  day,  and  sat  down.    And  after  the  reading  of  15 
the  law  and  the  prophets  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue  sent  unto 
them,  saying,  Brethren,  if  ye  have  any  word  of  exhortation  for 
the  people,  say  on.     And  Paul  stood  up,  and  beckoning  with  16 
the  hand  said, 

Men  of  Israel,  and  ye  that  fear  God,  hearken.     The  God  of  17 
this  people  Israel  chose  our  fathers,  and  exalted  the  people 
when  they  sojourned  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  with  a  high 
arm  led  he  them  forth  out  of  it.     And  for  about  the  time  of  18 
forty  years  suffered  he  their  manners  in  the  wilderness.     And  19 
when  he  had  destroyed  seven  nations  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  he 
gave  them  their  land  for  an  inheritance,  for  about  four  hundred 
and  fifty  years:  and  after  these  things  he  gave  them  judges  20 
until  Samuel  the  prophet.    And  afterward  they  asked  for  a  21 
king:  and  God  gave  unto  them  Saul  the  son  of  Kish,  a  man  of 
the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  for  the  space  of  forty  years.     And  when  22 
he  had  removed  him,  he  raised  up  David  to  be  their  king;  to 
whom  also  he  bare  witness,  and  said,  I  have  found  David  the 
son  of  Jesse,  a  man  after  my  heart,  who  shall  do  all  my  will. 
Of  this  man's  seed  hath  God  according  to  promise  brought  unto  23 
Israel  a  Saviour,  Jesus ;  when  John  had  first  preached  before  24 
his  coming  the  baptism  of  repentance  to  all  the  people  of  Israel. 
And  as  John  was  fulfilling  his  course,  he  said,  What  suppose  ye  25 
that  I  am?     I  am  not  he.     But  behold,  there  cometh  one  after 
me,  the  shoes  of  whose  feet  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose.   Breth-  26 
ren,  children  of  the  stock  of  Abraham,  and  those  among  you 
that  fear  God,  to  us  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent  forth. 
For  they  that  dwell  in  Jerusalem,  and  their  rulers,  because  they  27 
knew  him  not,  nor  the  voices  of  the  prophets  which  are  read 
every  sabbath,  fulfilled  them  by  condemning  him.     And  though  28 
they  found  no  cause  of  death  in  him,  yet  asked  they  of  Pilate 
that  he  should  be  slain.     And  when  they  had  fulfilled  all  things  29 
that  were  written  of  him,  they  took  him  down  from  the  tree,  and 
laid  him  in  a  tomb.     But   God   raised    him   from    the   dead:  30 
and  he  was  seen  for  many  days  of  them  that  came  up  with  him  31 
from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  who  are  now  his  witnesses  unto  the 
people.     And  we  bring  you  good  tidings  of  the  promise  made  32 
unto  the  fathers,  how  that  God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  our  33 
children,  in  that  he  raised  up  Jesus;  as  also  it  is  written  in  the 
second  psalm.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee. 
And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  now  34 
no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he  hath  spoken  on  this  wise,   I 
will  give  you  the  holy  and  sure  blessings  of  David.     Because  35 
he  saith  also  in  another  Balsm,   Thou  wilt  not  give  thy  Holy 


148  Miscellanies. 

36  One  to  see  corruption.  For  David,  after  be  had  in  his  own  gen- 
eration served  the  counsel  of  God,  fell  on  sleep,  and  was  laid 

37  unto  his  fathers,  and  saw  corruption:  but  he  whom  God  raised 

38  up  saw  no  corruption.  Be  it  known  unto  you  therefore,  breth- 
ren, that  through  this  man  is  proclaimed  unto  you  remission  of 

39  sins:  and  by  him  every  one  that  believeth  is  justified  from  all 
things,   from   which  ye  could  not  be  justified   by  the  law  of 

40  Moses.  Beware  therefore,  lest  that  come  upon  you,  which  is 
spoken  in  the  prophets; 

41  Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder,  and  perish ; 
For  I  work  a  work  in  your  days, 

A  work  which  ye  shall  in  no  wise  believe,  if  one  declare  it 
unto  you. 

42  And  as  they  went  out,  they  besought  that  these  words  might 

43  be  spoken  to  them  the  next  sabbath.  Now  when  the  synagogue 
broke  up,  many  of  the  Jews  and  of  the  devout  proselytes  fol- 
lowed Paul  and  Barnabas :  who,  speaking  to  them,  urged  them 
to  continue  in  the  grace  of  God. 

44  And  the  next  sabbath  almost  the  whole  city  was  gathered  to- 

45  gether  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  But  when  the  Jews  saw  the 
multitudes,  they  were  filled  with  jealousy,  and  contradicted  the 

46  things  which  were  spoken  by  Paul,  and  blasphemed.  And  Paul 
and  Barnabas  spake  out  boldly,  and  said,  It  was  necessary  that 
the  word  of  God  should  first  be  spoken  to  you  Seeing  ye 
thrust  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  eternal 

47  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles.  For  so  hath  the  Lord  com- 
manded us,  saying, 

I  have  set  thee  for  a  light  of  the  Gentiles, 
Thai  thou  shouldest  be  for  salvation  unto  the  uttermost  part 
of  the  earth. 

48  And  as  the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were  glad,  and  glorified  the 
word  of  God :  and  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  be- 

49  lieved.     And  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  spread  abroad  through- 

50  out  all  the  region.  But  the  Jews  urged  ou  the  devout  women 
of  honourable  estate,  and  the  chief  men  of  the  city,  and  stirred 
up  a  persecution  against  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  cast  them  out 

51  of  their   borders.     But  they   shook  off  the  dust  of  their  feet 

52  against  them,  and  came  unto  Iconium.  And  the  disciples  were 
filled  with  joy  and  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Vs.  2.  XecToopyoovTcov.  "Under  the  Christian  economy,  the 
temple-service  is  not  histrionic,  but  verhal,  the  word  now 
occupying  the  place  which  the  Levitical  ritual  did  formerly." 
Litton's  Church  of  Christ,  page  185.)     Compare  Acts  vi.  4; 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  149 

V.  42 ;  2  Tim.  iv,  2.  The  word  ?.£cTouf)pa  denotes,  generally, 
any  public  ministry  or  service.  Compare  Rom.  xiii.  6,  of  civil 
magistrate ;  Rom.  xv.  16,  minister  of  the  gospel ;  Luke  i.  23, 
priest ;  Phil.  ii.  30,  contributions  (also  2  Cor.  ix.  12) ;  the 
service  of  public  worship,  as  here  (compare  the  word  "lit- 
urgy.") Compare,  also,  Phil.  ii.  19;  Heb.  i.  14;  Phil.  ii.  25; 
Heb.  i.  7  ;  viii.  2.  If  the  idea  here  had  been  that  of  perform- 
ing priestly  functions,  the  word  would  have  been  tspazsoecu. 
(Luke  i.  8,  9.)  Compare  Heb.  vii.  5 ;  1  Pet.  ii.  5-9.  It  is 
very  remarkable  that  the  apostles,  though  accustomed  to 
sacerdotal  language,  and  to  express  New  Testament  ideas  in 
Old  Testament  terms,  always  abstain  from  using  sacerdo- 
tal terms  in  describing  their  own  office  and  its  functions. 
They  use  these  terms  only  of  all  helievers,  and,  of  course,  in 
a  tropical  sense.  (1  Pet.  ii.  5-9.)  Only  suppose  that  they 
were  what  papists  pretend  they  were,  how  different  their 
language  would  have  been !  What  a  different  coloring  would 
have  been  given  to  the  Acts,  and  to  the  whole  of  the  New 
Testament!  N.  B.,  Romans  xv.  16  is  only  an  apparent  ex- 
ception {[efw'jp-jfo'jvra)  to  the  above  remark,  as  the  whole  verse 
shows.     Besides,  the  word  here  used  is  b.7zazlzybiLzvov. 

Vs.  2-4.  Note  the  bearing  of  this  passage  upon  the  follow- 
ing subjects :  (a).  The  vocation  of  officers  to  their  xoorh  in 
and  for  the  church.  The  vocation  is  hij  the  Holy  Ghost 
throiigh  the  church.  In  this  case,  the  will  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
is  made  known  in  a  supernatural  way;  now,  in  the  way  of 
ordinary  providence.  The- same  may  be  said  as  to  the  field 
of  labor,  (h),  The  ordination  of  officers:  (1),  That  it  is  an 
ordination  to  a  work,  and  not  an  ojice.  (2),  That  ordination 
is  reiterahle.  This  must  be  granted,  or  it  must  be  assumed 
that  Barnabas  and  Saul  had  been  teaching  in  the  church  at 
Antioch  without  ordination.  Therefore,  ordination  is  either 
reiterable  or  altogether  unnecessary.  In  either  case  the 
papal  and  prelatical  notion  of  ordination  is  proved  to  be 
false.     (3),  That  ordination  was  by  d.  plurality  of  presbyters 


150  Miscellanies. 

(a  presbytery,  compare  1  Tim.  iv.  14),  not  by  one  man.  (4), 
That  it  is  not  necessary  for  an  oiBcer  to  be  ordained  by  offi- 
cers who  have  the  same  office.  An  apostle  was  ordained  by 
men  who  held  an  inferior  office.  Bearing  of  this  upon  the 
question  of  ruling  elders  ordaining  a  iriinister. 

Vs.  8.  Ehj[ia<^.  Commonly  explained  by  the  Greek  form 
of  an  Arabic  word  meaning  wise  or  learned,  the  plural  of 
which  (Ulema)  is  apphed  to  the  collective  body  of  Moham- 
medan doctors  in  the  Turkish  empire.  While  the  verbal 
root  in  the  Arabic  means  to  knoto,  the  corresponding  root  in 
Hebrew  means  to  hide,  both  of  which  ideas  {occult  science)  are 
included  in  the  term  Magus,  by  which  Luke  here  explains  it. 
(Alexander,  in  loc.)  The  doctors  constituting  the  "Ulema" 
were  in  later  times  a  sort  of  lawyer-priests,  authoritative  ex- 
pounders of  the  Koran,  which  was  the  code  at  once  of  law 
and  religion.  Compare  the  vonoocoaaxaMn  among  the  Jews, 
and  the  Tuscan  hereditary  lawyer-priests  of  Rome.  (See 
Legare's  Essay  on  Roman  Legislation?) 

Vs.  14.  Founded  by  Seleucas  Nicanor  (or  restored),  says 
Alexander,  in  honor  of  his  father,  Antiochus  the  Great — a 
lapse  of  memory  in  Alexander.  Antiochus  the  Great  as- 
cended the  throne  eighty-eight  years  after  Seleucas  Nicanor, 
who  reigned  312-280  B.  C. ;  Antiochus  the  Great  from  223- 
187  B.  C.  Antiochus,  father  of  Seleucas  Nicanor,  was  not 
one  of  the  Greek  kings  of  Syria,  for  Seleucas  Nicanor  was 
the  first,  and  the  founder  of  the  dynasty  of  the  Seleucidae. 

Vs.  15.  naftaxakfjaecoz.  This  word  seems  to  have  the  gen- 
eral sense  of  applying  or  accommodating  to  the  use  of  the 
hearers  the  truths  of  God's  word,  especially  in  the  way  of 
exhorting  and  comforting.  (See  Calvin,  in  loc.)  May  not 
this  be  the  special  meaning  of  7iaf)axArjT0(;  in  John  xiv.  16  ? 
Is  not  the  Holy  Ghost  represented  in  these  chapters  as 
bringing  to  the  remembrance  of  the  apostles  the  things  which 
Jesus  had  spoken?  He  brings  them  to  remembrance  in  the 
sense  of  developing  them  and  showing  how  they  are  to  be 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  151 

applied  in  the  liistory  and  development  of  the  church,  in  its 
various  exigencies  for  exhortation  and  consolation.  The 
method  in  which  the  Holy  Ghost  does  this  may  be  seen  in 
the  epistles.  So  in  the  church  now,  and  in  the  case  of  indi- 
vidual believers,  the  Paraclete  takes  of  the  things  of  Christ 
and  shows  them  to  us,  in  the  way  of  exhortation,  and  so  con- 
soling and  strengthening,  which  seems  to  be  the  primary 
meaning  of  the  word  '^comforter,''  and  possibly  the  meaning 
which  our  Authorized  Version  primarily  intended.  (See  Mis- 
sion of  the  Comforter,  by  Hare,  and  notes  on  the  first  sermon.) 

Vs.  20.  Bengel  makes  the  distribution  of  the  land  the  goal, 
not  the  beginning,  of  the  four  hundred  and  fifty  years.  (See 
his  Gnomen,  in  loc.)  He  counts  from  the  birth  of  Isaac  to  the 
distribution  of  the  land.  This  "Revision"  makes  the  four 
hundred  and  fifty  years  to  extend  from  the  possession  of  the 
land  to  the  time  of  the  Judges,  following  Lachmann's  text  and 
the  Sinaitic  manuscript.  Bengel  also  followed  the  same  read- 
ing in  the  main.  (See  his  long  comment.)  "He  caused  them 
to  inherit  the  land  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  years,  and 
after  that  he  gave  them  judges,"  etc.,  is  the  order  of  Lach- 
mann  and  the  Sinaitic  and  the  Revision. 

Vs.  27.  yap  is  not  a  particle  of  transition,  but  seems  to  ex- 
plain the  acorr^fua ;  for  in  Christ,  and  precisely  in  his  rejec- 
tion, killing  and  resurrection,  are  the  prophecies  fulfilled. 
He  is  a  Saviour  for  you,  children  of  Abraham  and  fearers  of 
God,  because  he  has  been  promised  in  the  prophets  (verse 
29)  as  such,  and  the  dwellers  in  Jerusalem  have  uncon- 
sciously fulfilled  these  prophecies  by  judging  and  crucifying 
him.     (De  Wette,  in  loc.) 

dyuoTJaauTE^.  Ignoring  (the  only  good  English  sense  of 
this  word — not  knowing,  ignorant  of). 

Vs.  40.  y9/i:-£r£.  An  expression  employed  nowhere  else  in 
this  book,  but  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  writings  of  Paul, 
who  is  here  speaking.  (1  Cor.  iii.  10;  viii.  9;  x.  12;  Gal.  v. 
15;  Eph.  V.  15;  Phil.  iii.  2;  Col.  ii.  8;  iv.  17,  etc.) 


1 52  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  45.  !^ijXou.     Jealousy,  or  party-spirit. 

Vs.  46.  It  was  not  necessary  that  the  Jews  should  be  re- 
jected in  order  to  the  incorporation  of  the  Gentiles  into  the 
church ;  and  Paul  had  been  before  made  the  Apostle  of  the 
Gentiles.  The  emphasis  is  on  the  word  aTi)e(poiJ.eda.  The 
Jews  had  turned  their  backs  on  Paul,  so  that  he  could  not 
'^uno  intuitu  eos  cxcrii  Oeiitihus  respicere.'"''  (See  Calvin,  in 
loc.) 

Vs.  48.  '' oaoi,  X.  r.  L"  Vulgate:  " jPrceordi?2ati  ad  vitam 
cete/matn,"  which  is  stronger,  even,  than  Calvin's  ordinati. 
Whitby  refers  to  Acts  sx.  13  in  proof  that  ^^ zezajfiivoc"  may 
mean  "disposed  (inwardly)."  But  can  that  be  the  meaning 
here  ?  Only  on  the  theory  of  Pelagianism  or  semi-Pelagianism 
Bengel  admits  that  Gud  ordained,  but  seems  to  deny  that  the 
ordination  was  eternal! 


CHAPTEE  XIV. 

XXIII.     The  Completion  of  the  First  Missionary  Tour 

AND  the  Eeturn  TO  Antioch.     (Verses  1-28.) 

1  And  it  came  to  pass  in  Iconium,  that  they  entered  together 
into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews,  and  so  spake,  that  a  great  mul- 

2  titude  both  of  Jews  and  of  Greeks  believed  But  the  Jews  that 
were  disobedient  stirred  up  the  souls  of  the  Gentiles,  and  made 

3  them  evil  affected  against  the  brethren.  Long  time  therefore 
they  tarried  there  speaking  boldly  in  the  Lord,  which  bare  wit- 
ness unto  the  word  of  his  grace,  granting  signs  and  wonders  to 

4  be  done  by  their  hands.  But  the  multitude  of  the  city  was 
divided ;  and  part  held  with  the  Jews,  and  part  with  the  apostles. 

5  And  when  there  w^as  made  an  onset  both  of  the  Gentiles  and 
of  the  Jews  with  their  rulers,  to  entreat  them  shamefully,  and 

6  to  stone  them,  they  became  aware  of  it,  and  fled  unto  the  cities 
of  Lycaonia,  Lystra  and  Derbe,  and  the  region  round  about: 

7  and  there  they  preached  the  gospel. 

8  And  at  Lystra  there  sat  a  certain  man,  impotent  in  his  feet,  a 

9  cripple  from  his  mother's  womb,  who  never  had  walked.  The 
same  heard  Paul  speaking:  who,  fastening  his  eyes  upon 
him,  and  seeing  that  he  had  faith  to  be  made  whole,  said  Avith 

10  a  loud  voice,  Stand  upright  on  thy  feet.     And  he  leaped  up  and 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  153 

walked.     And  when  the  multitudes  saw  what  Paul  had  done,  11 
they  lifted  up  their  voice,  sayinj?  in  the  speech  of  Lycaonia,  The 
gods  ai'e  come  down  to  us  in  the  likeness  of  men      And  they  12 
called  Barnabas,  Jupiter;  and  Paul,  Mercury,  because  he  was 
the  chief  speaker.     And  the  priest  of  Jupiter  whose  temple  was  13 
before  the  city,  brought  oxen  and  garlands  unto  the  gates,  and 
would  have  done  sacrifice  with  the  multitudes      But  when  the  14 
apostles,  Barnabas  and  Paul,  heard  of  it,  they  rent  their  gar- 
ments, and  sprang  forth  among  the  multitude,  crying  out  and 
saying.  Sirs,  why  do  ye  these  things'?     We  also  are  men  of  like  15 
passions  with  you,  and  bring  you  good  tidings,  that  ye  should 
turn  from  these  vain  things  unto  the  living  God,  who  made  the 
heaven  and  the  earth  and  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is :  who  16 
in  the  generations  gone  by  sufiered  all  the  nations  to  walk  in 
their  own  ways.     And  yet  he  left  not  himself  without  witness,  17 
in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  jon  from  heaven  rains  and  fruit- 
ful seasons,  filling  your  hearts  with  food  and  gladness.     And  18 
with  these  sayings  scarce  restrained  they  the  multitudes  from 
doing  sacrifice  unto  them. 

But  there  came  Jews  thither  from  Antioch  and  Iconium :  and  19 
having  persuaded  the  multitudes,  they  stoned.  Paul,  and  dragged 
him  out  of  the  city,  supposing  that  he  was  dead.     But  as  the  20 
disciples  stood  round  about  him,  he  rose  up,  and  entered  into 
the  city :  and  on  the  morrow  he  went  forth  with  Barnabas  to 
Derbe.     And  when  they  had  preached  the  gospel  to  that  city,  21 
and  had  made  many  disciples,  they  returned  to  Lystra,  and  to 
Iconium,  and  to  Antioch,  confirming  the  souls  of  the  disciples,  22 
exhorting  them  to  continue  in  the  faith,  and  that  through  many 
tribulations  we  must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of   God.     And  23 
when  they  had  appointed  for  them  elders  in  every  church,  and 
had  praj'ed  with  fasting,  they  commended  them  to  the  Lord,  on 
whom  they  had  believed.     And  they  passed  through  Pisidia,  24 
and  came  to  Pamphylia.     And  when  they  had  spoken  the  word  25 
in  Perga,  thej^  went  down  to  Attalia;  and  thence  they  sailed  to  26 
Antioch,  from  whence  they  had  been  committed  to  the  grace  of 
God  for  the  work  which  they  had  fulfilled.     And  when  they  27 
were  come,   and  had  gathered  the  church  together,  they  re- 
hearsed all  things  that  God  had  done  with  them,  and  how  that 
he  had  opened  a  door  of  faith  unto  the  Gentiles.     And  they  28 
tarried  no  little  time  with  the  disciples. 

Vs.  11.  Lycaonia.    Southeastern  part  of  Phrjgia,  extending 
down  to  the  northern  boundary  of  Cilicia. 

Vs.  18.  jiohz.     With  difficulty.     SI  deos  credunt  cur  fidein 


154  Miscellanies. 

no7i  liabent  eoru7)i  sermoni,  quo  falstim  a  se  honorem  repel- 
lantf  (Calvin,  m  <?0(?.)  And  he  adds  in  the  next  verse,  that 
though  the  people  were  with  difficulty  persuaded  not  to  wor- 
ship Barnabas  and  Paul,  they  were  persuaded  with  no  diffi- 
culty to  stone  them.  Paul  is  worshipped  by  the  papists  and 
can  no  longer  protest ;  but  they  can  stone  or  at  least  curse 
those  who  hold  his  doctrine. 

Vs.  23.  This  term  seems  to  indicate  that  these  elders  (pro- 
bably both  teaching  and  ruling  elders)  were  set  apart  by  the 
suffrages  of  the  Christian  people.  (Calvin's  Inst.,  L.  14,  c.  3, 
s.  15,  cited  in  Breckenridge's  sermon  on  "The  Christian 
Pastor,"  etc.)  Compare  2  Cor.  viii.  19,  where  the  word  un- 
questionably has  this  sense.  See  1  Cor.  xvi.  3,  and  Schleus. 
Lex  Suh.  Voce.  For  this  privilege  of  election  as  belonging  to 
the  people,  see  Acts  vi.  1-6 ;  Deut.  i.  13,  14.  The  word  yjipo- 
xovqaavzzz  is  only  used  in  this  place  and  in  2  Cor.  viii.  19. 
See  Acts  x.  41  for  the  compound  ■Ki>o-^Ei(ioToveoy. 

Chapter  xv.  throws  light  on  the  following  questions :  1,  The 
rule  of  church  power  is  the  will  of  God  (word  and  provi- 
dence). 2,  Authority  of  church  officers  is  ministerial  and 
declarative.  They  have  no  exchisive  right  to  interpret  Scrip- 
ture, but  a  right  to  interpret  it  for  guidance  as  to  their 
duty.  Yet,  3,  The  authority  of  synods,  which  should  regulate 
their  decisions  by  the  word ;  and  such  decisions  only  to  be 
received  so  far  as  in  accordance  with  the  word ;  and  when  in 
accordance  with  the  word,  they  are  to  be  submitted  to  on 
that  account,  and  also  on  account  of  the  authority  of  the 
synod  as  the  ordinance  of  God.  (Conf.  of  Faith,  Chap.  XXXI., 
Sec.  3.)  4,  The  place  of  church  members  in  the  government 
of  the  church.  Difference  heiween  jurisdiction  and  consent. 
The  people  have  the  latter,  not  the  former.  5,  Subordination 
of  church  courts.  6,  Obligation  of  apostolic  practice,  as  to 
the  government  of  the  church.  (See  Cunningham's  History 
of  Theology,  Vol.  I.,  Chap.  XL,  pp.  43-73.) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  155 

CHAPTEK   XV. 

XXIV.  The  Occasion  of  the  Synod  of  Jerusalem.  The 
Account  of  Its  Deliberations  and  Decisions.  The 
Synod's  Letter  to  the  Christians  in  Antioch.  The 
Eeception  of  the  Letter  and  Deputation  There.  A 
New  Missionary  Tour  Proposed.  The  Contention  of 
Saul  and  Barnabas.  Their  Separation.  Paul  and 
Silas  Go  Through  Syria  and  Cilicia.    (Verses  1-41.) 

And  certain  men  came  down  from  Judsea  and  taught  the    1 
brethren,  saying,  Except  ye  be  circumcised  after  the  custom  of 
Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved.     And  when  Paul  and  Barnabas  had    2 
no  small  dissension  and  questioning  with  them,  the  brethren  ap- 
pointed that  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  certain  other  of  them,  should 
go  up  to  Jerusalem   unto  the  apostles  and  elders  about  this 
question.     They  therefore,  being  brought  on  their  way  by  the    3 
church,  passed  through  both  Phoenicia  and  Samaria,  declaring 
the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles :   and  they  caused  great  joy  unto 
all  the  brethren.     And  when  they  were  come  to  Jerusalem,    4 
they  were  received  of  the  church  and  the  apostles  and  the  elders, 
and  they  rehearsed  all  things  that  God  had  done  with  them. 
But  there  rose  up  certain  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  who  be-    5 
lieved,  saying.  It  is  needful  to  circumcise  them,  and  to  charge 
them  to  keep  the  law  of  Moses. 

And  the  apostles  and  the  elders  were  gathered  together  to  6 
consider  of  this  matter.  And  when  there  had  been  much  ques-  7 
tioning,  Peter  rose  up,  and  said  unto  them. 

Brethren,  ye  know  how  that  a  good  while  ago   God  made 
choice  among  you,  that  by  my  mouth  the  Gentiles  should  hear 
the  word  of  the  gospel,  and  believe.     And  God,  which  knoweth    8 
the  heart,  bare  them  witness,  giving  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  even 
as  he  did  unto  us;  and  he  made  no  distinction  between  us  and    9 
them,   cleansing  their  hearts  by  faith.      Now   therefore  why  10 
tempt  ye  God,  that  ye  should  put  a  yoke  upon  the  neck  of  the 
disciples,  which  neither  our  fathers  nor  we  were  able  to  bear? 
But  we  believe  that  we  shall  be  saved  through  the  grace  of  the  11 
Lord  Jesus,  in  like  manner  as  they. 

And  all  the  multitude  kept  silence ;  and  they  heai'kened  unto  12 
Barnabas   and  Paul  rehearsing  what  signs  and  wonders  God 
had  wrought  among  the  Gentiles  by  them.    And  after  they  had  13 
held  their  peace,  James  answered,  saying, 

Brethren,  hearken  unto  me :    Symeon   hath   rehearsed   how  14 


156  Miscellanies. 

first  God  did  visit  the  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people 

15  for  his  name.  And  to  this  agree  the  words  of  the  prophets  ;  as 
it  is  written, 

16  After  these  things  I  will  return, 

And  I  will  build  again  the  tabernacle  of  David,  which  is 

fallen  ; 
And  I  will  build  again  the  ruins  thereof, 
And  I  will  set  it  up: 

17  That  the  residue  of  men  may  seek  after  the  Lord, 
And  all  the  Gentiles,  upon  whom  my  name  is  called, 

18  Saith  the  Lord,  who  maketh  these  things  known  from  the 

beginning  of  the  world. 

19  Wherefore  my  judgment  is,  that  we  trouble  not  them   which 

20  from  among  the  Gentiles  turn  to  God ;  but  that  we  write  unto 
them  that  they  abstain  from  the  pollutions  of  idols,  and  from 

21  fornication,  and  from  what  is  strangled,  and  from  blood.  For 
Moses  from  generations  of  old  hath  in  every  city  them  that 
preach  him,  being  read  in  the  synagogues  every  sabbath. 

22  Then  it  seemed  good  to  the  apostles  and  the  elders,  with  the 
whole  church,  to  choose  men  out  of  their  company,  and  send 
them  to  Antioch  with  Paul  and  Barnabas;  namely,  Judas  called 

23  Barsabbas,  and  Silas,  chief  men  among  the  brethren :  and  they 
wrote  thus  by  them,  The  apostles  and  the  elder  brethren  unto 
the  brethren  which  are  of  the  Gentiles  in  Antioch  and  Syria 

24  and  Cilicia,  greeting:  Forasmuch  as  we  have  heard  that  certain 
which  went  out  from  us  have  troubled  you  with  words,  subvert- 

2'>  ing  your  souls;  to  whom  we  gave  no  commandment;  it  seemed 
good  unto  us,  having  come  to  one  accord,  to  choose  out  men 
and  send  them  unto  you  with  our  beloved  Barnabas  and  Paul, 

26  men  that  have  hazarded  their  lives  for  the  name  of  our  Lord 

27  Jesus  Christ.  We  have  sent  therefore  Judas  and  Silas,  who 
themselves  also  shall  tell  you  the  same  things  by  word  of  mouth. 

28  For  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  us,  to  lay  upon 

29  you  no  greater  burden  than  these  necessary  things;  that  ye  ab- 
stain from  things  sacrificed  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from 
things  strangled,  and  from  fornication ;  from  which  if  ye  keep 
yourselves,  it  shall  be  well  with  you.     Fare  ye  well. 

30  '  So  they,  when  they  were  dismissed,  came  down  to  Antioch ; 
and  having  gathered  the  multitude  together,  they  delivered  the 

31  epistle.     And  when  they  had  read  it,  they  rejoiced  for  the  con- 

32  solation.  And  Judas  and  Silas,  being  themselves  also  prophets, 
exhorted  the  brethren  with  many  words,  and  confirmed  them. 

33  And  after  they  had  spent  some  time  there,  they  were  dismissed 
in  peace  from"  the  brethren  unto  those  that  had  sent  them  forth. 

35  But  Paul  and  Barnabas  tarried  in  Antioch,  teaching  and  preach- 
ing the  word  of  the  Lord,  with  many  others  also.  ■ 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  157 

And  after  some  days  Paul  said  unto  Barnabas,  Let  us  return  36 
now  and  visit  the  brethren  in  every  city  -wherein  we  proclaimed 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  see  how  they  fare.     And  Barnabas  37 
was  minded  to  take  with  them  John  also,  who  was  called  Mai'k. 
But  Paul  thought  not  good  to  take  with  them -him  who  with- 38 
drew  from  them   from   Pamphylia,  and  went  not  with  them  to 
the  work.     And  there  arose  a  sharp  contention,  so  that  they  39 
parted  asunder  one  from  the  other,  and  Barnabas  took  Mark 
with  him,  and  sailed  away  unto  Cyprus;  but  Paul  chose  Silas,  40 
and  went  forth,  being  commended  by  the  brethren  to  the  grace 
of  the  Lord.     And  he  went  through  Syria  and  Cilicia,  confirm-  41 
ing  the  chui'ches. 

Ys.  9.  y.u3aptaac,.  The  Jews  were  clean,  the  Gentiles  un- 
clean, but  God,  under  the  gospel,  puts  no  difference  between 
them ;  both  must  be  cleaii  hi  heart,  and  tbis  is  done  not  by 
circumcision,  but  by  faith.  (Compare  Gal.  ii.  14,  etc.;  Matt. 
V.  8 ;  Gal.  v.  6 ;  yi.  15.) 

Vs.  10.  iru&elvac,  injin.  epexegetic.  The  laying  the  yoke  on 
the  disciples  is  the  tempting  of  God. 

Vs.  9,  10.  Compare  negative  and  positive.  The  Gentiles 
may  be  saved  without  circumcision  ;  the  JevfS7mist  be  saved, 
if  saved  at  all,  by  the  grace  of  Christ,  although  circumcised. 
There  is  no  difference.  Note,  also,  on  verse  10,  that  the  law 
is  called  an  intolerable  yoke  only  from  the  point  of  view  of 
the  legalists  and  Pharisees,  who  regarded  it  as  an  external 
thing.  The  true  believers  who  had  it  in  their  hearts  found  it 
a  very  "easy"  yoke,  as  the  Psalms  show. 

Note,  further,  that  Peter's  speech  is  an  argument  from  his- 
tory, from  what  God  has  done  ;  history  throughout  defining 
dogma;  a  difference  between  sacred  history,  however,  and 
ecclesiastical,  in  this  respect :  in  the  former,  not  only  does 
God  act,  but  he  reveals  the  definition  ;  in  the  latter,  the  defi- 
nition must  be  gathered  from  revelation,  finished  and  past. 
The  definitions  of  the  creeds  of  the  first  four  general  coun- 
cils were  derived  from  the  written  word  of  God,  and  must  be 
judged  by  that  word.  Indeed,  the  speeches  of  both  Paul  and 
James  are  arguments  from  the  word  and  providence  of  God 
combined. 


158  Miscellanies. 

This  is  the  last  notice  we  have  of  Peter  in  the  Acts;  we 
find  him  here  agreeing  with  Paul.  (Compare  Peter's  Second 
Epistle,  iii.  15.) 

Ys.  14.  Notice  how  eOvcou  and  ?.aoi;  here  occur  together. 
They  are  generally  opposed.  Here  the  £/?f  oc  constitute  a  part 
of  the  /laoc,  or  the  ?mo^  is  found  in  part  among  the  eduoi,  the 
uncircumcised. 

Vs.  18.  7:oi(ou  zaora.  It  is  all  God's  work.  (Compare  Pe- 
ter's argument.)  The  quotation  from  Amos  ends  with  raura. 
This  would  seem  to  favor  the  reading  of  the  Textus  Receptxts 
from  zoTc — aoTou. 

Vs.  21.  The  connection  seems  to  be  this :  "We  must  require 
at  least  thus  much  from  the  Gentile  believers ;  otherwise  too 
violent  a  shock  would  be  given  to  the  prejudices  of  the  Jews — 
prejudices  which  are  kept  alive  by  the  reading  of  the  law  in 
the  synagogues."  This  falls  in  with  the  design  of  God,  indi- 
cated everywhere  in  this  book,  to  allow  the  two  dispensations 
to  overlap  each  other.  CereinonicE  veteres  sepeliendce  sunt 
cum  aliqiio  honors,  is  a  proverb.     (See  Calvin,  in  loc.) 

Vs.  22.  The  Ir/lqaca,  here,  do  not  sustain  the  same  relation 
to  the  dogma  that  the  apostles  and  brethren  do.  The  gram- 
matical construction  shows  this.  I  understand  this  as  simply 
expressing  the  concurrence  of  the  church,  in  order  to  add 
moral  weiglit  to  the  decree,  not  as  giving  it  validity.  (Com- 
pare verse  6.) 

Vs.  25.  yspo/isvoK:.  J^ecoming  of  one  mind  ;  not  so  at  first. 
Note  the  use  of  councils  conducted  in  the  proper  spirit. 
They  promote  unity.  "  Having  come  to  one  accord."  (Re- 
vision of  1881.) 

Vs.  27.  dia  kojoo.      Ore  tenus,  viva  voce. 

Vs.  29.  T.paqExz.  You  will  be  in  good  condition.  (See  Sir 
William  Hamilton's  Lectures  on  Metaphysics,  page  83 ;  Quin- 
tilian's  Institutes,  L.  2,  chap.  18.)  For  an  example  of  the  dif- 
ference in  use  between  iiocecv  (the  doing  which  leaves  a  per- 
manent result)  and  Tifto.aaecv  (the  doing  which  leaves  no  such 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  159 

resiilt,  wliich  is  mere  activity),  see  John  iii.  20,  21 ;  compare 
Acts  V.  29.  Here  the  -ocecv  is  couuectecl  with  the  true  and 
good  ;  the  npaaauv  with  the  false  and  bad.  The  good  has 
permanent  effects  ;  the  results  of  evil  are  transient  and  worth- 
less. (See  Alford  in  Farrar's  Life  of  Christ,  Vol.  I.,  page 
200.)  But  how  can  it  be  said  that  evil  has  no  permanent 
effects?     (Compare  John  v.  29;  viii.  34,  41,  44,  et  al.) 

Ys.  39.  The  words  "between  them,"  in  A^ithorized  Ver- 
sion, have  nothing  corresponding  in  the  Greek  text.  For  all 
that  appears,  the  "provocation"  was  exclusively  on  the  part 
of  Barnabas,  and  this  view  agrees  better  with  the  apostolic 
office  of  Paul  and  with  the  attitude  of  "the  brethren  siding 
with  him." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

XXV.  The  Second  Missionary  Tour  Continued.  Paul's 
Choice  of  Timothy.  Divine  Direction  into  Europe. 
Labors  and  Sufferings,  Deliverance  and  Achieve- 
ments IN  Philippi.  Their  Leave  of  Philippi.  (Verses 
1-40.) 

And  he  came  also  to  Derbe  and  to  Lystra:  and  behold,  a  cer-    1 
tain  disciple  was  there,  named  Timothy,  the  son  of  a  Jewess 
which  believed;    but  his  father  was  a  Greek.     The  same  was    2 
well  reported  of  by  the  brethren  that  were  at  Lystra  and  Ico- 
nium.      Him  would  Paul  have  to  go  forth  with  him;   and  he    3 
took  and  circumcised  him  because  of  the  Jews  that   were  in 
those  parts:    for  they   all  knew  that  his   father  was  a  Greek. 
And  as  they  went  on  their  way  through  the  cities  they  delivered    4 
them  the  decrees  for  to  keep,  which  had  been  ordained  of  the 
apostles  and  elders  that  were  at  Jerusalem.     So  the  churches    5 
were  strengthened  in  the  faith,  and  increased  in  number  daily. 

And  they  went  through  the  region  of  Phrygia  and  Galatia,  6 
having  been  forbidden  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  speak  the  word  in 
Asia;  and  when  they  were  come  over  against  Mysia,  they  as-  7 
sayed  to  go  into  Bithynia;  and  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  suffered 
them  not;  and  passing  by  Mysia,  they  came  down  to  Troas.  8 
And  a  vision  appeared  to  Paul  in  the  night ;  There  was  a  man  9 
of  Macedonia  standing,  beseeching  him,  and  saying,  Come  over 


160  Miscellanies. 

10  into  Macedonia  and  help  us.  And  when  he  had  seen  the  vision, 
straightway  we  sought  to  go  forth  into  Macedonia,  concluding 
that  God  had  called  us  for  to  preach  the  gospel  unto  them. 

11  Setting  sail  therefore  from  Troas,  we  made  a  straight  course 
to  Samothrace,  and  the  day  following  to  Neapolis;    and  from 

12  thence  to  Philippi,  which  is  a  city  of  Macedonia,  the  first  of  the 
district,  a  Roman  colony:   and  we  were  in  this  city  tarrying  cer- 

13  tain  days.  And  on  the  sabbath  day  w-e  went  forth  without  the 
gate  by  a  river  side,  where  we  supposed  there  was  a  place  of 
prayer;    and  we  sat  down  and  spake  unto  the  women   which 

14  were  come  together.  And  a  certain  woman  named  Lydia,  a 
seller  of  purple,  of  the  city  of  Thyatira,  one  that  worshipped 
God,  heard  us :    whose  heart  the  Lord  opened,  to  give  heed 

15  unto  the  things  which  were  spoken  by  Paul.  And  when  she 
was  baptized,  and  her  household,  she  besought  us,  saying,  If  ye 
have  judged  me  to  be  faithful  to  the  Lord,  come  into  my  house, 
and  abide  there.     And  she  constrained  us. 

16  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  we  were  going  to  the  place  of  prayer, 
that  a  certain  maid  having  a  spirit  of  divination  met  us,  which 

17  brought  her  masters  much  gain  b}'  soothsaying.  The  same 
following  after  Paul  and  us  cried  out,  saying.  These  men  are 
servants  of  the  Most  High  God,  which  proclaim  unto  you  the 

18  way  of  salvation.  And  this  she  did  for  many  days.  But  Paul, 
being  sore  troubled,  turned  and  said  to  the  spirit,  I  charge  thee 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  come  out  of  her.  And  it  came 
out  that  very  hour. 

19  But  when  her  masters  saw"  that  the  hope  of  their  gain  was 
gone,  they  laid  hold  on  Paul  and  Silas,  and  dragged  them  into 

20  the  market  place  before  the  rulers,  and  when  they  had  brought 
them  unto  the  magistrates,  they  said,  These  men,  being  Jews, 

21  do  exceedingly  trouble  our  city,  and  set  forth  customs  which 
it  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  receive,  or  to  observe,  being  Eomans. 

22  And  the  multitude  rose  up  together  against  them:  and  the 
magistrates  rent  their  garments  off  them,  and  commanded  to 

23  beat  them  with  rods.  And  when  they  had  laid  many  stripes 
upon  them,  they  cast  them  into  prison,  charging  the  jailor  to 

24  keep  them  safely :  who,  having  received  such  a  charge,  cast  them 
into  the  inner  prison,  and  made  their  feet  fast  in  the  stocks. 

25  But  about  midnight  Paul  and  Silas  were  praying  and  singing 
hymns   unto  God,  and  the  prisoners  were  listening  to  them ; 

26  and  suddenly  there  w^as  a  great  earthquake,  so  that  the  founda- 
tions of  the  prison-house  were  shaken;  and  immediately  all  the 

27  doors  were  opened;  and  every  one's  bands  were  loosed.  And 
the  jailor  being  roused  out  of  sleep,  and  seeing  the  prison  doors 
open,  drew  his  sword,  and  was  about  to  kill  himself,  supposing 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  161 

that  the  prisoners  had  escaped.     But  Paul  cried  with  a  loud  28 
voice,  saying',  Do  thyself  no  harm:  for  we  are  all  here.     And  he  29 
called  for  lights,  and  sprang  in,  and,  trembling  for  fear,  fell 
down  before  Paul  and  Silas,  and  brought  them  out,  and  said,  30 
Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?     And  thej'  said,  Believe  on  31 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  thou  and  thy  house. 
And  they  spake  the  word  of  the  Lord  unto  him,  with  all  that  32 
were  in  his  house.     And  he  took  them  the  same  hour  of  the  33 
night,  and  washed  their  stripes ;  and  was  baptized,  he  and  all 
his,  immediately.     And  he  brought  them  up  into  his  house,  and  34 
set  meat  before  them,  and  rejoiced  greatly,  with  all  his  house, 
having  believed  in  God. 

But  when  it  was  day,  the  magistrates  sent  the  Serjeants,  say-  35 
ing,  Let  those  men  go.     And  the  jailor  reported  the  words  to  36 
Paul,   saying.  The  magistrates  have  sent  to  let  you  go:   now 
therefore  come  forth,  and  go  in  peace.     But  Paul  said  unto  them,  37 
They  have   beaten  us  publicly,   uncondemned,   men   that  are 
Romans,  and  have  cast  us  into  prison ;  and  do  they  now  cast  us 
out  pri\aly?  nay  verily;  but  let  them  come  themselves  and  bring 
us  out.     And  the  Serjeants  reported  these  words  unto  the  mag-  38 
istrates:    and  they  feared,   when   they  heard  that  they   were 
Romans;  and  they  came  and  besought  them;  and  when  they  39 
had  brought  them  out,  they  asked  them  to  go  away  from  the 
city.     And  they  went  out  of  the  prison,  and  entered  into  the  40 
house  of  Lydia:  and  when  they  had  seen  the  brethi'en,  they 
comforted  them,  and  departed. 

Vs.  1,  "  Partus  sequitur  ventremr  The  child  follows  the 
condition  of  the  mother.  Hence  there  was  not  the  same  ob- 
jection to  a  Jewish  woman  marrying  a  pagan  husband  as  to 
a  Jew  marrying  a  pagan  wife,  though  both  are  forbidden  in 
the  law  of  Moses.       (Dent.  vii.  3.) 

Vs.  5.  Rarum  incrementuTn,  numero  shnul  et  gradu. 
(Bengel.)  Not  rarer  than  revivals  of  religion.  An  increase 
of  the  faith  of  the  church  is  generally  followed  by  additions 
to  her  numbers. 

Vs.  6.  Aaca,  i.  e.,  Proconsular  Asia.  "It  appears  that  the 
word  Asia  was  used  by  the  Komans  in  four  senses :  1,  For 
the  whole  Asiatic  continent  as  opposed  to  Europe  and  Africa ; 
2,  For  Asia  Minor  iu  its  largest  extent,  including  Cilicia  and 
other  districts  beyond  the  Taurus;  3,  For  the  same  in  its 
11 


162  Miscellanies. 

smaller  extent,  embracing  only  tlie  provinces  within  the  Tau- 
rus ;  4,  For  Lydian  Asia,  or,  as  it  was  also  called  towards  the 
end  of  the  first  century.  Proconsular  Asia,  extending  all 
along  the  seacoast  from  Pergamos  down  to  Caria,  and  inland 
to  the  Phrygian  portion,  or  a  little  beyond  it.  It  is  in  this 
sense  that  the  word  is  here  used.  Perhaps  the  little  mari- 
time district  near  Ephesus  on  the  Cayster  had  first  the  name 
of  Asia.  As  Homer  uses  the  word  Amw  euhijucovi,  xaoarcou 
an(pc  pesdpa,  and  it  may  thence  have  extended  to  a  larger  and 
larger  signification."  (Elhott's  Jlorce  Apocalyp.,  Intro., 
ch.  i.) 

Vs.  7.  "  oox  ecaaevy  (Compare  1  Thess.  ii.  18.)  Note  the 
sovereignty  of  Christ  in  directing  the  course  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  duty  of  ministers  to  give  heed  to  the  restraints  and 
the  leadings  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Vs.  9.  oftafia,  x.  r.  X. :  "  Bruto  aj)paruit  cacodaemon,  eum 
ad  infelix  illiid  prcelium  invitans  quod  Philipp'is  transigit ; 
eodem  scilicet  in  loco,  ad  quern  postea  vocatas  fuit  Paulus^ 
(Calvin,  in  loc.)  According  to  Plutarch  {Life  of  Brutus^ 
Langhorne's  translation,  p.  683)  the  apparition  appeared  to 
Brutus  (as  Paul's  to  him)  in  Asia  (Proconsular). 

Vs.  10.  ^C^'fj^^Yjaanev  (in  the  plural).  Silas,  Timothy  and 
Luke?  or  the  first  two  only  with  Paul?  If  some  one  had 
not  joined  Paul  now  who  had  not  done  so  before,  the  word 
would  probably  have  been  used  before.  Hence  Luke 
joined  them. 

Vs.  12.  ju£f)edo(:  in  apposition  to  Max.  Portio,  not  2?ars,  is 
the  meaning  of  p-epiz  (see  Luke  x.  42 ;  Acts  vi.  21 ;  2  Cor.  vi. 
15;  Col.  i.  12),  verb  ftepc^co,  dlstrihuo.  The  allusion  is  per- 
haps to  the  wonderful  destiny  of  the  Koman  empire  in  the 
providence  of  God.  Macedonia  was  one  of  the  portions  of 
the  ocxooiiivYj  assigned  to  it.  Tipcorrj  takes  its  sense  from 
xouovca,  the  first  colony  of  Macedonia.  The  sense  of  the 
whole  will  then  be  (perhaps)  Phihppi,  which  is  a  chief  city 
and  colony  of  that  portion  of  the  empire  which  is  called 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  163 

Maceclouia  (Baumgarten's  Apostolic  History,  Sec.  26) ;  or 
-oioTTj  may  be  merely  topographical.  Philippi  was  the  first 
city  of  Macedonia  they  reached  after  leaving  the  Troad. 
(Neapohs  belonged  to  Thrace.)  The  vision  convinced  them 
they  ought  to  go  to  Macedonia,  and  they  hastened  to  get 
there.     (See  Lechler,  in  loc.) 

Vs.  13.  TTora/uou.  The  Gaggitas  (Conybeare  and  Howson) 
not  the  Strymon  (as  Meyer  and  De  Wette). 

Vs.  14,  15.  Note  the  evidences  of  a  work  of  grace :  1.  An 
open  heart.  2.  An  open  7nind.  3.  An  open  inonth.  4.  An 
open  lionise.  (See  Pulpit  Treasxiry  for  June,  1883,  p.  89. 
Compare  Matt.  Henry,  in  loc.) 

Vs.  17.  siijaoca.  Work,  or  the  gains  of  work.  Compare 
Jer.  XX.  5  and  the  Authorized  Version  and  the  Revised  Ver- 
sion there.  Also  Acts  xix.  24,  25.  Note  the  opposition  be- 
tween God's  revelation  and  this  fortune-telling,  necromancy; 
Jannes  and  Jambres,  etc.  (Isaiah  viii.  16-20.  See  Trench's 
Syn.  New  Testament,  par.  1,  p.  40,  et  seq.)  Note  the  differ- 
ence between  heathen  and  Christian  words :  ebdacfiouta  and 
H(i:/,a(nc j).»z,  ;  aiie-^'/j  and  aycoaivyf^  ;  i/^uacaarrjjnov  and  ^irjiioz,  etc. 
So  fxavzcz  and  7:po<l'r^Tr^c:.  The  former  from  Mo.vca.  Compare 
divinatio  (in  Latin,  from  divus)  with  Mavrcxrj  (a  fxirore). 

Vs.  20.  Lessons  of  this  history:  1.  The  sovereign  power  of 
God  turning  even  the  precautions  taken  by  his  enemies  to 
prevent  the  accomplishment  of  his  designs  into  means  for 
accomplishing  them.  2.  The  compassion  of  God  valuing  the 
salvation  of  souls  at  so  high  a  price  that  he  does  not  deem  it 
too  dearly  bought  by  the  shaking  of  the  earth,  nor  even  by 
the  sufferings  of  his  servants.  3.  The  triumph  of  faith  in 
the  apostles  shown  iu  their  songs  of  praise  m  such  circum- 
stances. 4.  The  ignominy  of  the  dungeon  bringing  them 
into  contact  with  souls  elected  of  God,  and  the  gospel,  which 
had  been  rejected  by  the  governors,  carried  to  the  prisoners. 
5.  A  pagan  broiight  to  the  gates  of  death  in  order  to  receive 
eternal  life,  and  the  salvation  entering  at  the  same  time  into 


164:  Miscellanies, 

bis  heart  and  into  his  household.  6.  The  communion  of 
saints,  in  the  interchange  of  kindly  offices  between  the  cap- 
tives and  the  jailer;  the  former  announcing  the  glad  tidings 
to  their  jailer,  and  he  in  turn  washing  their  stripes.  7.  The 
baptism  of  a  whole  family  at  midnight.  8.  The  holy  joy  of 
salvation.  9.  The  conjunction  of  the  preparation  of  alarm 
in  the  sinner,  and  the  gospel  the  remedy  for  it.  10.  The 
demonstration  of  the  felt  worthlessness  of  life  without  the 
gospel,  the  misery  of  life,  in  the  prompt  resolution  of  the 
jailer  to  take  his  life.  11.  The  demonstration  that  salvation 
is  of  grace  without  works;  for  what  good  works  had  been 
done  by  this  pagan  who  was  just  about  to  commit  self- 
murder?  (See  A.  Monod's  sermon  on  this  passage.)  12.  The 
magnanimity  of  the  apostles  in  allowing  themselves  to  be  so 
badly  treated  when  they  might  have  prevented  it  by  an  earlier 
announcement  of  their  Roman  citizenship. 

Vs.  33.  '' Bathed,  ha^ytized.''  Palcher  vice  (Bengel).  The 
jailer  was  no  doubt  baptized  vidth  a  portion  of  the  same  water 
with  which  he  had  washed  the  stripes  of  the  apostles. 

Ys.  17.  After  this  the  first  person  is  dropped  until  Acts  xx. 
5.  This  would  seem  to  show  that  Luke  had  remained  in 
Philippi  until  he  rejoined  Paul  at  that  place  just  before  the 
departure  to  the  Troad.  (Verse  20.)  (TTpazr^yoK;,  dti?/iviri, 
or  miniature  consuls  (Philippi  being  a  colonia),  or  praetors. 

Vs.  34.  Compare  this  with  the  effects  of  the  martyrdom  of 
Stephen.  "The  soil  of  Jerusalem  was  too  poor  to  be  made 
fruitful  even  by  the  blood  of  martyrs."  (Baumgarten.)  The 
hardening  process  had  begun  among  the  Jews.  This  is  the 
first  instance  of  the  sufferings  of  God's  witnesses  ending  in 
the  conversion  of  unbelievers. 

Vs.  37.  dxaTf/JcfJCTouc,  "causa  indicia''  (Calvin),  without  a 
hearing.  (Compare  Acts  xxv.  16.)  ou  yap,  " nicht,  docl''' 
(De  Wette),  by  no  means.  According  to  Alexander,  an  ellip- 
tical expression;  no  (they  shall  not  do  so),  for  (we  will  not 
submit  to  it).  Calvin  has  "nan  profecto''  =  no,  truly,  or  as 
our  version  has  it,  "no,  verily." 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  165 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

XXVI.  The  Second]  Missionary  Touii  Continued — Labors, 
Teials,  and  Successes  of  Paul  and  His  Helpers  in 
Thessalonica,  Beecea,  and  Athens. 

Now  when  thej'  had  passed  through  Amphipolis  and  Ai)ollo-    1 
nia,  they  came  to  Thessalonica,  where  was  a  synagogue  of  the 
Jews:  and  Paul,  as  his  custom  was,  went  in  unto  them,  and  for    2 
three  sabbath  days  reasoned  with  them  from  the  Scriptures, 
opening  and  alleging,  that  it  behoved  the  Christ  to  suffer,  and    3 
to  rise  again  from  the  dead ;  and  that  this  Jesus,  whom,  said 
he,  I  ]Droclaim  unto  you,  is  the  Christ.     And  some  of  them    4 
were  j)ersuaded,  and  consorted  with  Paul  and  Silas ;  and  of  the 
devout  Greeks  a  great  multitude,  and  of  the  chief  women  not  a 
few.     But  the  Jews,  being  moved  with  jealousy,  took  unto  them    5 
certain  vile  fellows  of  the  rabble,  and  gathering  a  crowd,  set 
the  city  on  an  uproar;  and  assaulting  the  house  of  Jason,  they 
sought  to   bring  them   forth  to  the  people.     And  when   they     6 
found  them  not,  they  dragged  Jason  and  certain  brethren  be- 
fore the  rulers  of  the  city,  crying.  These  that  have  turned  the 
world  upside  down  are  come  hither  also ;  whom  Jason  hath  re-    7 
ceived:  and  these  all  act  contrary  to  the  decrees  of  Cpesar,  say- 
ing that  there  is  another  king,  one  Jesus.     And  they  troubled    8 
the  multitude  and  the  rulers  of  the  city,  when  they  heard  these 
things.     And  when  they  had  taken  security  from  Jason  and  the    9 
rest,  they  let  them  go. 

And  the  brethren  immediately  sent  away  Paul  and  Silas  by  10 
night  unto  Beroea:  Avho,  when   they  were  come  thither,  went 
into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews.     Now  these  were  more  noble  11 
than  those  in  Thessalonica,  in  that  they  received  the  word  with 
all  readiness  of  mind,  examining  the  Scriptures  daily,  whether  12 
these  things  were  so.     Many  of  them  therefore  believed ;  also 
of  the  Greek  women  of  honorable  estate,  and  of  men,  not  a  few. 
But  when  the  Jews  of  Thessalonica  had  knowledge  that  the  13 
word  of  God  was  proclaimed  of  Paul  at  Beroea  also,  they  came 
thither  likewise,  stirring  up  and  troubling  the  multitudes.    And  14 
then  immediately  the  brethren  sent  forth  Paul  to  go  as  far  as 
to  the  sea :  and  Silas  and  Timothy  abode  there  still.     But  they  15 
that  conducted  Paul  brought  him  as  far  as  Athens :   and  receiv- 
ing a  command  unto  Silas  and  Timothy  that  they  should  come 
to  him  with  all  speed,  they  departed. 

Now  while  Paul  waited  for  them  at  Athens,  his  spirit  was  16 
provoked  within  him,  as  he  beheld  the  city  full  of  idols.     So  he  17 


166  Miscellanies. 

reasoned  in  the  synagogue  with  the  Jews  and  the  devout  persons, 
and  in  the  market-])hxce  every  day  with  them  that  met  with 

18  him.  And  certain  also  of  the  Epicurean  and  Stoic  philosophers 
encountered  him.  And  some  said,  What  would  this  babbler 
say?  other  some,  He  seemeth  to  be  a  setter  forth  of  strange 

19  gods :  because  he  preached  Jesus  and  the  resurrection.  And 
they  took  hold  of  him,  and  brought  him  unto  the  Areopagus, 
saying,  May  we  know  what  this  new  teaching  is,  which  is  spoken 

20  by  thee?    For  thou  bringest  cei'tain  strange  things  to  our  ears: 

21  we  would  know  therefore  what  these  things  mean.  (Now  all 
the  Athenians  and  the  strangers  sojourning  there  spent  their 
time  in  nothing  else,  but  either  to  tell  or  to  hear  some  new 

22  thing.)  And  Paul  stood  in  the  midst  of  the  Areopagus,  and 
said, 

Ye  men  of  Athens,  in  all  things  I  perceive  that  ye  are  somewhat 

23  superstitious.  For  as  I  passed  along,  and  observed  the  objects 
of  your  worship,  I  found  also  an  altar  with  this  inscription,  to 
AN  UNKNOWN  GOD.     What  therefore  ye  worship  in  ignorance,  this 

24  set  I  forth  unto  you.  The  God  that  made  the  world  and  all 
things   therein,  he,  being  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,   dwelleth 

25  not  in  temples  made  with  hands;  neither  is  he  served  by  men's 
hands,  as  though  he  needed  anything,  seeing  he  himself  giveth 

26  to  all  life,  and  breath,  and  all  things ;  and  he  made  of  one  every 
nation  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth,  having 
determined  their  appointed  seasons,  and  the  bounds  of  their 

27  habitation;  that  they  should  seek  God,  if  haply  they  might  feel 
after  him,  and  find  him,  though  he  is  not  far  from  each  one  of  us: 

28  for  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being;  as  certain 
even  of  your  own  poets  have  said,  For  we  are  also  his  offspring. 

29  Being  then  the  offspring  of  God,  we  ought  not  to  think  that  the 
Godhead  is  like  unto  gold,  or  silver,  or  stone,  graven  by  art  and 

30  device  of  man.  The  times  of  ignorance  therefore  God  over- 
looked; but  now  he  commandeth  men  that  they  should  all  every- 

81  where  repent:  inasmuch  as  he  hath  appointed  a  day,  in  the 
which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness  by  the  man 
whom  he  hath  ordained;  whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto 
all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead. 

32  Now  when  they  heard  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  some 
mocked;    but   others  said.  We  will  hear  thee  concerning  this 

83  yet  again.     Thus  Paul  went  out  from  among  them.     But  cer- 

34  tain  men  clave  unto  him,  and  believed:  among  whom  also  was 
Dionysius  the  Areopagite,  and  a  woman  named  Damai'is,  and 
others  with  them. 

Vs.  3.  Paul  had  two  things  to  do :     1.  By  an  exegesia  of 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  167 

the  Old  Testament  prophecies  to  show  that  the  Messiah  (the 
Christ)  was  to  suffer  and  then  to  rise  from  the  dead,  2.  By 
a  comparison  of  the  history  of  the  Messiah,  Jesus,  whom  he 
preached,  with  the  results  thus  obtained  from  the  prophecies, 
to  show  the  identity  of  the  two.  The  first  process  is  de- 
scribed as  a  dcavocyciiv;  the  second  as  a  izapaxid-ziivoz.  The 
o-jroc  refers  to  the  Christ  of  the  prophecies.  This  suffering 
and  rising  Christ  of  the  prophets  is  the  Christ  Jesus  whom  I 
preach,  etc.     (Compare  Luke  xxiv.  25 ;  xxvii.  44-46.) 

Vs.  4.  7:()oae/.Xrj()M&riaav.  Obviously,  in  a  passive  sense,  says 
"Winer  {apud  Lechler),  these  consorts  were  allotted  to  Paul 
and  Silas  as  their  hire,  as  the  seals  of  their  ministry,  or, 
more  probably,  were  introduced  into  the  same  inheritance 
with  Paul  and  Silas,  the  inheritance  of  grace.  (Compare 
Phil.  i.  7 ;  2  Pet.  i.  1,  et  al.) 

Vs.  5.  dyooauov.  Canallcolce  [canaille),  stibrostru7n,  suh- 
hasilicani — men  of  the  sewers,  men  below  the  rostrum,  etc., 
idlers,  loungers,  who  frequent  all  places  where  there  is  likely 
to  be  a  gathering  of  people. 

Vs.  6.  dvfwraTo'yaavze:;.  (Compare  Hag.  ii.  7  ;  Heb.  xii.  26.) 
"The  devil  had  turned  the  world  wrong  side  up,  and  the 
apostles  were  doing  a  good  thing  in  turning  it  upside  down." 
(South.)  Note  the  way  of  the  world.  Paul  had  created  no 
disturbance  at  all.  His  enemies  were  making  all  the  trouble. 
(Compare  1  Kings  xviii.  17,  18.)  The  complaint  of  the  wolf 
against  the  lamb  lower  down  the  stream.  Note,  again,  that 
the  charge  against  Paul  &  Co.  is  here  more  specific  than  in 
Philippi.  It  is  that  of  saying  that  there  is  another  l-ing. 
Compare  the  prominence  of  the  kingdoin  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Thessalonians.  This  gives  a  noteworthy  coincidence  (unde- 
signed) between  the  Epistles  and  the  Acts. 

Vs.  7.  (iaatlkd.  Compare  the  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians, 
from  which  it  would  appear  that  the  Thessalonian  believers 
might  themselves  have  misunderstood  the  doctrine  of  the 
kingdom. 


168  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  11.  Notice  the  bearing  of  this  verse  upon  two  points  : 

1.  Paul,  though  au  inspired  apostle,  proved  his  doctrine  by 
the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  The  pope,  even  if  he  were 
infallible,  would  be  obliged  to  prove  his  doctrine  (or  show  its 
harmony  with)  from  the  Old  and  New  Testament  Scriptures, 
which  he,  as  well  as  we,  acknowledge  to  be  a  divine  rule. 

2.  The  exercise  of  "the  right  of  private  judgment"  upon  the 
teaching  of  an  infallible  teacher.  Therefore,  even  if  the 
pope  were  an  infallible  teacher,  it  would  not  follow  that  men 
have  no  right  of  private  judgment. 

Vs.  18.  The  first  public  conflict  in  the  field  of  argument 
between  paganism  and  Christianity  here  recorded.  Jac/iovuov. 
Dii  tninores,  or  Dii  minorti'tn  gentium.  Compare  1  Tim. 
iv.  1,  where  dacjuovuov  is  the  genitive  of  the  ohject,  "teachings 
concerning  demons,"  tutelary  divinities,  angels  or  saints. 
Jcujuopcojv  is  here  used,  therefore,  in  a  good  sense  (^.  e.,  from 
the  pagan  point  of  view).  It  is  the  only  instance  of  its  occur- 
rence in  this  book.     (See  on  Acts  viii.  7.) 

Vs.  21.  7J  Xijecv  zt  Tj  dxo'jecv.  Pei'cunetatorem  fugito,  nam 
gaun  lus  idem  est.  (Horace,  apud ;  Calvin,  in  loc.)  A  quid 
nunc  is  a  great  talker ;  an  inquisitive  man  is  like  a  cask  with 
a  hole  in  it.  ^'Ouriosi  similes  sunt  doliis  pertusis."  (Calvin.) 
So  Terence :  ''^Plenus  rirnarum  sum  ;  hac  atque  iliac perjiuo." 
(See  Bengel,  ^/^.  loc.) 

Vs.  22.  3ei<Ti3acfjLov£<7Tef>oi><;,  anddc/itig  (devout — Stier  and 
Theile) ;  Gottenfunclitig  (De  Wette) ;  Gottendieustl  (Berlen- 
bruger  Bible) ;  Gottendieustl  (Gossner) ;  Gottengraoc/itig 
(Leiler) ;  quasi  superstitious  (Vulgate  and  Calvin) ;  somewhat 
superstitious  (Revision). 

Vs.  23.  For  ov  and  zoozov,  of  the  Textus  Heceptus,  read 
o  and  zo'jzo.  The  object  of  their  worship  was  not  a  person, 
but  a  nonentity  or  vague  abstraction.  Bwfiov.  See  Trench's 
Syn.,  Par.  I.,  p.  42.  ^co/wv  (a  heathen  altar)  occurring  only 
once  in  the  New  Testament ;  doacaozr^ftcov  (the  altar  of  the  true 
God)  over  twenty  times.     Compare  ■Kf)o<frjZ£ucv  and  fiavzioeadcu 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  169 

(only  once,  Acts  xvi.  16),  the  latter  founded  on  the  notion  that 
the  heathen  prophet  was  in  a  state  of  frenzy  {^[xawa). 

Vs.  28.  (Trollope's  note.)  Aratus  flourished  about  77  B.  C. 
He  was  a  native  of  Cilicia,  the  same  province  that  Tarsus 
belonged  to.  Cleauthes  of  Assos  (240  B.  C),  a  Stoic  phil- 
osopher, was  tried  by  the  Areopagus  for  a  vagrant  {i.  e.,  one 
having  no  visible  means  of  subsistence). 

May  not  the  plural  here  ijcvs^)  refer  to  both  Aratus  and 
Cleanthes?  This  would  seem  to  show  an  acquaintance  with 
both  the  "Phaeu"  of  Aratus  and  the  "Hymn  to  Jupiter"  of 
Cleanthes.  (See  Godet's  Coimnentary  on  Romans^  Paul 
quotes  from  poeU  rather  than  philosophers,  as  such  (Clean- 
thes was  a  philosopher),  because  the  former  express  the 
sentiments,  the  latter  the  opinions  of  mankind ;  and  man  is 
more  man  by  his  heart  than  his  head. 

Vs.  29.  Man  cannot  dishonor  God  without  dishonoring 
himself. 

Vs.  31.  The  fact  of  a  judgment  is  made  prominent  also  in 
Peter's  address  in  Acts  x.  42,  which  was  also,  like  this  of  Paul, 
delivered  to  a  Gentile  audience.  That  the  judge  should  be  a 
man  was  not  strange  to  Gentile  modes  of  thinking.  Minos,- 
Radamanthus,  and  ^acus  were  all  men,  though  the  sons  of 
Jupiter. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
XXVII.  The  Second  Missionaey  Tour  Completed  and 
the  Third  Begun.  The  Labors,  Trials,  and  Achieve- 
ments OF  Paul  in  Corinth.  His  Return  into  Syria 
After  a  Stop  in  Cenchre^  and  in  Ephesus,  and  a 
Visit  to  Jerusalem.  His  Sojourn  in  Antioch,  and 
His  Revisitation  of  the  Churches  in  Galatia.  (Vs. 
1-23.) 

After  these  things  he  departed  from  Athens,  and  came  to  1 
Corinth.  And  he  found  a  certain  Jew  named  Aquila,  a  man  of  2 
Pontus  by  race,  lately  come  from  Italy,  with  his  wife  Priscilla, 


170  Miscellanies. 

because  Claudius  had  commanded  all  the  Jews  to  depart  from 

3  Rome:  and  he  came  unto  them;  and  because  he  was  of  the  same 
trade,  he  abode  with  them,  and  they  wrought;  for  by  their 

4  trade  they  were  tentmakers.  And  he  reasoned  in  the  syna- 
gogue every  sabbath,  and  persuaded  Jews  and  Greeks. 

6  But  when  Silas  and  Timothy  came  down  from  Macedonia, 
Paul  was  constrained  by  the  woi'd,  testifying  to  the  Jews  that 

6  Jesus  was  the  Christ.  And  when  they  opposed  themselves,  and 
blasphemed,  he  shook  out  his  raiment,  and  said  unto  them, 
Your  blood  be  upon  your  own  heads;  I  am  clean:  from  hence- 

7  forth  I  will  go  unto  the  Gentiles.  And  he  departed  thence, 
and  went  into  the  house  of  a  certain  man  named  Titus  Justus, 
one  that  worshipped  God,  whose  house  joined  hard  to  the  syna- 

8  gogue.  And  Crispus,  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  believed  in  the 
Lord  with  all  his  house,  and  many  of  the  Corinthians  hearing 

9  believed,  and  were  baptized.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Paul  in 
the  night  by  a  vision,  Be  not  afraid,  but  speak,  and  hold  not  thy 

10  peace:  for  I  am  with  thee,  and  no  man  shall  set  on  thee  to  harm 

11  thee:  for  I  have  much  people  in  this  city.  And  he  dwelt  there 
a  year  and  six  months,  teaching  the  word  of  God  among  them. 

12  But  when  Gallio  was  proconsul  of  Achaia,  the  Jews  with  one 
accord  rose  up  against  Paul,  and  brought  him  before  the  judge- 

13  ment-seat,  saying.  This  man  persuadeth  men  to  worship  God 

14  contrary  to  the  law.  But  when  Paul  was  about  to  open  his 
mouth,  Gallio  said  unto  the  Jews,  If  indeed  it  were  a  matter  of 
wrong  or  of  wicked  villany,  O  ye  Jews,  reason  would   that  I 

15  should  bear  with  you :  but  if  they  are  questions  about  words 
and  names  and  your  own  law,  look  to  it  yourselves;  I  am  not 

16  minded  to  be  a  judge  of  these  matters.     And  he  drave  them 

17  from  the  judgement-seat.  And  they  all  laid  hold  on  Sosthenes, 
the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and  beat  him  before  the  judgement- 
seat.     And  Gallio  cared  for  none  of  these  things. 

18  And  Paul,  having  tarried  after  this  yet  many  days,  took  his 
leave  of  the  brethren,  and  sailed  thence  for  Syria,  and  with  him 
Priscillaand  Aquila;  having  shorn  his  head  in  Cenchreae:  for  he 

19  had  a  vow.  And  they  came  to  Ephesus,  and  he  left  them  there: 
but  he  himself  entered  into  the  synagogue,  and  reasoned  with 

20  the  Jews.     And  when  they  asked  him  to  abide  a  longer  time, 

21  he  consented  not;  but  taking  his  leave  of  them,  and  saying, 
I  will  return  again  unto  you,  if  God  will,  he  set  sail  from  Eph- 

22  esus.     And  when  he  had  landed  at  Caesarea,  he  went  up  and 

23  saluted  the  church,  and  went  down  to  Antioch.  And  having 
spent  some  time  there,  he  departed,  and  went  through  the 
region  of  Galatia  and  Phrygia  in  order,  establishing  all  the 
disciples. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  171 

Vs.  1.  Compare  1  Cor.  ii.  2.  Paul  had  tried  the  ground 
of  natural  religion  and  of  history  at  Atheiis,  but  with  a  very 
discouraging  result.  He  now  resolves,  in  the  beginning  of 
his  labors  at  Corinth,  to  know  nothing  but  Jesus  and  him 
crucified.  Both  preachings  were  under  the  direction  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  were  for  a  sign  to  us.  So  says  Baumgarten, 
but  not  justly. 

Vs.  5.  The  z£  and  the  article  before  each  of  the  names 
Silas  and  Timotheus  would  seem  to  imply  that  the  two  did 
not  come  together.  Compare  Acts  xvii.  14,  where  the  mean- 
ing may  be  Silas  and  Timotheus  remained  by  the  inde- 
pendent determination  of  each,  and  Acts  xvii.  15,  where  the 
absence  of  the  article  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  the 
same  message  was  sent  to  both.  The  last  two  words  state 
the  substance  of  Paul's  preaching :  the  Messiah  of  the  Old 
Testament  and  the  identity  of  Jesus  with  that  Messiah. 
(Acts  xvii.  5.)  It  was  on  the  occasion  of  the  return  of  Silas 
and  Timotheus  that  the  Fii'st  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians  was 
written.  The  second  was  written  a  few  months  after  from 
the  same  place.     (Corinth.)     (See  Con.  &  Howson.) 

Vs.  6.  Compare  Acts  xiii.  46. 

Vs.  7.  aovofiofidbaa.  From  oaoz  ooo:;,  having  the  same  boun- 
daries— contiguous — adjoining;  a'jvo.Ycojr^:  the  place  or  house 
here,  not  the  assembly. 

Vs.  12.  Under  Tiberius,  Achaia  was  an  "imperial"  province 
and  governed  by  propraetors ;  Claudius  restored  it  to  the  senate, 
which  gave  it  proconsuls  for  government.  (Hackett.)  Alex- 
ander (Commentary,  in  loc.)  says  (or  the  types  make  him  say) 
the  very  reverse  of  what  he  means  to  say.  (See  his  note  on 
chap.  xiii.  7.)  Tiberius  reigned  14-37;  Caligula,  37-41 ;  Clau- 
dius, 41-54 ;  Nero,  54-68 ;  Galba,  Otho,  Vitellius,  Vespasian, 
68-79;  Titus,  79-81;  Domitian,  81-96;  Nerva,  96-98;  Trajan, 
98-117. 

Vs.  18.  The  eastern  port  of  Corinth,  Cenchreae,  distant 
about  seventy  stadia  (not  quite   nine   miles).     The  western 


172  Miscellanies. 

was  LechcBum,  about  twelve  stadia  from  the  city.  There  was 
a  third,  a  smaller  port,  called  Schoenus,  where  the  isthmus 
was  narrowest,  i.  e.,  about  three  miles  across.  Near  Corinth 
the  isthmus  was  six  miles  wide.  Horace  calls  Corinth 
Corintlius  Vimayns. 

XXVIII.  Th£}  Visit  of  Apollos  to  Ephesus  and  His 
Teaching  There.  His  Instruction  at  the  Hands  op 
Aquila  and  Priscilla.     (Verses  24-28.) 

24  Now  a  certain  Jew  named  Apollos,  an  Alexandrian  by  race, 
a  learned  man,  came  to  Ephesus;  and  he  was  mighty  in  the 

25  scriptures  This  man  had  been  instructed  in  the  way  of  the 
Lord:  and  being  fervent  in  spirit,  he  spake  and  taught  carefully 
the  things  concerning  Jesus,  knowing  only  the  baptism  of  John: 

26  and  he  began  to  speak  boldly  in  the  synagogue.  But  when 
Priscilla  and  Aquila  heard  him,  they  took  him  unto  them,  and 

27  expounded  unto  him  the  way  of  God  more  carefully.  And  when 
he  was  minded  to  pass  over  into  Achaia,  the  brethren  encouraged 
him,  and  wrote  to  the  disciples  to  receive  him :  and  when  he 
was  come,  he  helped  them  much  which  had  believed  through 

28  grace:  for  he  powerfully  confuted  the  Jews,  and  that  publicly, 
showing  by  the  scriptures  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ. 

Vs.  27.  TipoTijeil'dfievoc,  governing  Hotov  understood.  They 
encouraged  Apollos  in  his  desire  to  go  to  Achaia,  and  wrote 
to  the  brethren,  etc.  7Tf)UTf)s</'dfji£uo::  governs  the  accusative, 
not  the  dative ;  and  if  jmadr^racc:  is  the  object  of  the  verb  (accord- 
ing to  the  sense),  auzooT  must  be  supplied. 

Vs.  28.  oia  r7j-  yupixoc,  seems  to  qualify  the  whole  pre- 
ceding clause.  Apollos  helped,  by  the  grace  given  to  him, 
those  who  believed  through  the  grace  given  them.  This  may 
account  for  the  words  being  last  in  the  sentence,  ocaxazr^- 
Xey^ETo.  This  word  denotes  logical  discomfiture  (refutation), 
not  conviction,  which  last  would  imply  the  reception  of  tho 
doctrine. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  173 

CHAPTEK  XIX. 

XXIX.  Paul's  Eetuen  to  Ephesus,  and  His  Labors,  Op- 
position, AND  Achievements  during  the  Space  of  About 
Two  Years.     (Verses  1-41.) 

And  it  came  to  pass  that,  while  Apollos  was  at  Corinth,  Paul,    1 
liaving  passed  through  the  upper  country,  came  to  Ephesus, 
and  found  certain  disciples:  and  he  said  unto  them.  Did  ye  re-    2 
ceive  the  Holy  Ghost  when  ye  believed  ?     And  they  said  unto 
him,  Nay,  we  did  not  so  much  as  hear  whether  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  given.     And  he  said.  Into  what  then  were  ye  baptized?    3 
And  they  said,  Into  John's  baptism.     And   Paul  said,  John    4 
baptized  with  the  baptism  of  repentance,  saying  unto  the  peo- 
ple, that  they  should  believe  on  him  which  should  come  after 
him,  that  is,  on  Jesus.     And  when  they  heard  this,  they  were    5 
baptized  into  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.     And  when  Paul    6 
had  laid  his  hands  upon  them,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  on  them ; 
and  they  spake  with  tongues,  and  prophesied.     And  they  were    7 
in  all  about  twelve  men. 

And  he  entered  into  the  synagogue,  and  spake  boldly  for  the    8 
space  of  three  months,  reasoning  and  persuading  as  to  the  things 
concerning  the  kmgdom  of  God.     But  when  some  were  hard-    9 
ened  and  disobedient,  speakiog  evil  of  the  Way  before  the  mul- 
titude, he  departed  from  them,  and  separated  the  disciples, 
reasoning  daily  in  the  school  of  Tyrannus.     And  this  continued  10 
for  the  space  of  two  years ;  so  that  all  they  which  dwelt  in  Asia 
heard  the  word  of  the  Lord,  both  Jews  and  Greeks.     And  God  11 
wi'ought  special  miracles  by  the  hands  of  Paul:  insomuch  that  12 
unto  the  sick  were  carried  away  from  his  body  handkerchiefs  or 
aprons,  and  the  diseases  departed  from  them,  and  the  evil  spir- 
its went  out.     But  certain  also  of  the  strolling  Jews,  exorcists,  13 
took  upon  them  to  name  over  them  which  had  the  evil  spirits 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  saying,  I  adjure  you  by  Jesus  whom 
Paul  preacheth.     And  there  were  seven  sons  of  one  Sceva,  a  14 
Jew,  a  chief  priest,  which  did  this.   And  the  evil  spirit  answered  15 
and  said  unto  them,  Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul  I  know;  but  who 
are  ye?     And  the  man  in  whom  the  evil  spirit  was  leaped  on  16 
them,  and  mastered  both  of  them,  and  prevailed  against  them, 
so  that  they  fled  out  of  that  house  naked  and  wounded.     And  17 
this  became  known  to  all,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  that  dwelt  at 
Ephesus;  and  fear  fell  upon  them  all,  and  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  was  magnified.     Many  also  of  them  that  had  be-  18 
lieved  came,  confessing,  and  declaring  their  deeds.     And  not  a  19 


174  Miscellanies. 

few  of  them  that  practised  curious  arts  brought  their  books  to- 
gether, and  burned  them  in  the  sight  of  all:  and  they  counted 
the  price  of  them,  and  found  it  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  silver. 

20  So  mightily  grew  the  word  of  the  Lord  and  prevailed. 

21  Now  after  these  things  were  ended,  Paul  purposed  in  the 
spirit,  when  he  had  passed  through  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  to 
go  to  Jerusalem,  saying,  After  I  have  been  there,  I  must  also 

22  see  Rome.  And  having  sent  into  Macedonia  two  of  them  that 
ministered  unto  him,  Timothy  and  Erastus,  he  himself  stayed 
in  Asia  for  a  while. 

23  And  about  that  time  there  arose  no  small  stir  concerning  the 

24  Way.  For  a  certain  man  named  Demetrius,  a  silversmith, 
which  made  silver  shrines  of  Diana,  brought  no  little  business 

25  unto  the  craftsmen;  whom  he  gathered  together,  with  the  work 
men  of  like  occupation,  and  said,  Sirs,  ye  know  that  by  this 

26  business  we  have  our  wealth.  And  ye  see  and  hear,  that  not 
alone  at  Ephesus,  but  almost  throughout  all  Asia,  this  Paul 
hath  persuaded  and  turned  away  much  people,  saying  that  they 

27  be  no  gods  which  are  made  with  hands:  and  not  only  is  there 
danger  that  this  our  trade  come  into  disrepute;  but  also  that 
the  temple  of  the  great  goddess  Diana  be  made  of  no  account, 
and  that  she  should  even  be  deposed  from  her  magnificence, 

28  vrhom  all  Asia  and  the  world  worshippeth.  And  when  they 
heard  this,  they  were  filled  with  wrath,  and  cried  out,  saying, 

29  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians.  And  the  city  was  filled  with 
the  confusion :  and  they  rushed  with  one  accord  into  the  theatre, 
having  seized  Gains  and  Aristarchus,  men  of  Macedonia,  Paul's 

30  companions  in  travel.     And  when  Paul  was  minded  to  enter  in 

31  unto  the  people,  the  disciples  suffered  him  not.  And  certain 
also  of  the  chief  officers  of  Asia,  being  his  friends,  sent  unto 
him,  and  besought  him  not  to  adventure  himself  into  the  theatre. 

32  Some  therefore  cried  one  thing,  and  some  another:  for  the  as- 
sembly was  in  confusion;  and  the  more  part  knew  not  where- 

33  fore  they  were  come  together.  And  they  brought  Alexander 
out  of  the  multitude,  the  Jews  putting  him  forward.  And  Alex- 
ander beckoned  with  the  hand,  and  would  have  made  a  defence 

34  unto  the  people.  Bat  when  they  perceived  that  he  Avas  a  Jew, 
all  with  one  voice  about  the  space  of  two  hours  cried  out,  Great 

35  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians.  And  when  the  townclerk  had 
quieted  the  multitude,  he  saith,  Ye  men  of  Ephesus,  Avhat  man 
is  there  who  knoweth  not  how  that  the  city  of  the  Ephesians  is 
temple-keeper  of  the  great  Diana,  and  of  the  image  which  fell 

36  down  from  Jupiter"?     Seeing  then  that  these  things  cannot  be 

37  gainsaid,  ye  ought  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do  nothing  rash.  lor  ye 
have  brought  hither  these  men,  which  are  neither  robbers  of  tem- 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  175 

pies  nor  blasphemers  of  our  goddess.     If  therefore  Demetrius,  38 
aud  the  craftsmen  that  are  with  him,  have  a  matter  against  any 
man,  the  courts  are  open,  and  there  are  proconsuls:  let  them 
accuse  one  another.     But  if  ye  seek  anything  about  other  mat-  39 
ters,  it  shall  be  settled  in  the  regular  assembly.    For  indeed  we  40 
are  in  danger  to  be  accused  concerning  this  day's  riot,  there 
being  no  cause  for  it:   and  as  touching  it  we  shall  not  be  able 
to  give  account  of  this  concourse.     And  when   he   had   thus  41 
spoken,  he  dismissed  the  assembly. 

Vs.  1.  Famous  for  the  temple  of  Artemis,  one  of  the  seven 
wonders  of  the  world,  the  other  six  being:  (1),  The  pyramids 
(instead  of  which  some  reckon  the  Pharos,  the  light-house 
at  Alexandria) ;  (2  and  3),  The  walls  and  hanging  gardens  of 
Babylon;  (4),  The  statue  of  the  Olympian  Jupiter,  by  Phid- 
ias; (5),  The  mausoleum  built  by  Artemisia  over  the  remains 
of  her  husband,  Mausolus,  King  of  Caria;  (6),  The  Colossus 
of  Rhodes. 

Vs.  3.  £fc.  Compare  1  Cor.  x.  2  (Moses),  then  Matt,  xxviii. 
19,  with  ovojua,  verses  1-5.  See  Strong's  Theology  (Baptist), 
p.  534;  also,  pp.  464,  502,  521,  531,  547. 

Vs.  5.  Note,  it  is  not  said  that  Paul  baptized  them.  (See 
1  Cor.  i.  14,  17.) 

Vs.  9.  v^Trecd-oop,  "  disbelieved,"  a  positive  act,  axolri,  leisure, 
study,  school,  or  school-house.     (Alexander,  in  loco?) 

Vs.  10.  ixTi  d6o.  To  this  period  are  now  commonly  referred 
the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  and  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Cor- 
inthians. 

Vs.  15.  yiyuMfTxco,  reverential;  iTTcazauai,  familiar.  "Jesus 
I  know ;  Paul  I  am  acquainted  with."     (Alexander,  in  loco.) 

Vs.  18.  Note  the  force  of  the  pluperfect.  Those  who  had 
believed  before  now  saw  God's  displeasure  at  all  magical 
and  occult  arts. 

Vs.  19.  Tzeocsoya,  officious,  overbusy,  meddlesome,  inquisi- 
tive (1  Tim.  V.  13),  curious,  prying  into  the  secret  things  of 
God.  (Deut.  xxix.  29.)  These  pieces  of  silver,  if  of  the 
denomination  of  the  Attic  drachms,  varying  in  value  from 


176  Miscellanies. 

fifteen  to  seveuteen  cents  of  our  money,  would  amount  to 
seven  or  eight  thousand  dollars.     (Alexander.) 

Vs.  20.  A  passage  in  a  letter  of  Pliny  the  Younger  to 
Trajan,  written  about  fifty  years  after  this,  laments  the  decay 
of  heathen  worship  in  Asia  Minor,  not  only  in  the  cities,  but 
in  the  hamlets  and  country ;  but  intimates  that  a  reaction  in 
favor  of  heathenism  had  begun.  He  speaks  of  the  temples, 
which  had  almost  become  desolate,  as  beginning  to  be  fre- 
quented; the  sacred  rites,  which  had  been  long  intermitted, 
as  beginning  again  to  be  observed  ;  the  animals  to  be  used  as 
victims,  of  which  pui'chasers  had  been  rare,  as  again  coming 
to  market.  (Epistle  x.  97  or  96;  in  Schaff's  Apostolic 
Church,  sec.  77.) 

Vs.  21.  "  To  Jerusalem.^''  For  the  purpose  of  carrying  the 
contributions  to  the  poor  saints.  (1  Cor.  xvi.  1-9 ;  compare 
Rom.  XV.  25,  26,  31.)  To  make  these  collections  two  of  his 
ministers  were  sent  before  to  Macedonia  (verse  22),  probably 
to  Thessalonica  and  Philippi.  The  aorist  (tizl&iov  may  denote, 
as  it  commonly  does  (see  Goodwin's  Syntax  of  the  Moods 
and  Tenses  of  the  Greek  Verb,  p.  34),  past  time  in  relation  to 
Tzoptuza^(u  considered  as  the  principal  verb;  or  it  may  be 
used  as  an  indefinite  (Goodwin,  ut  supra,  p.  35)  correspond- 
ing with  Tiof)ei)ta&ac.  In  the  first  view  the  visit  to  Jerusalem 
is  shown  by  the  construction  itself  to  be  the  main  purpose  of 
Paul ;  in  the  last,  there  are  two  purposes,  to  go  through 
Macedonia,  and  to  go  to  Jerusalem.  The  first  is  preferable, 
because  zc&r^nc  is  not  one  of  the  verbs  which  commonly  take 
the  aorist  participle  in  the  sense  of  the  infinitive  (such  as 
Tzeocojtato,  etc.). 

Vs.  24.  Affzefii::.  Different  from  the  Hellenic  Artemis  or  the 
Eoman  Diana.  The  latter  represented  under  the  figure  of  a 
woman  in  the  succinct  garb  of  a  huntress ;  the  former  of  a 
woman  with  many  breasts,  denoting  the  prolific  and  nutritive 
powers  of  nature.  The  difference  between  the  Greek  and 
oriental  symbolization  illustrated  here.    The  Greeks  sacrificed 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  177 

the  meaning  of  the  symbol  to  the  ideal  of  beauty  ;  the  oriental 
sacrificed  beauty  to  the  meaning  of  the  symbol.  Hence  many 
of  the  oriental  symbols  were  unsightly.  It  is  probable  that 
Artemis  was  a  Hittite  goddess.  (See  Presbyterian  Quarterly 
for  January,  1888,  pp.  452  flf.) 

Vs.  37.  hpoaOkoix:.  Rendered  in  the  Authorized  Version 
"robbers  of  churches."  This  has  been  taken  as  an  over- 
sight of  the  translators — "church"  in  the  mouth  of  the  town- 
clerk  of  Ephesus  being  an  anachronism.  But  in  earlier 
English  the  word  was  applied,  sometimes,  not  only  to  the 
Jewish,  but  even  to  a  heathen  temple.  Thus  Sir  John 
Cheke  (A.  D.  1557)  quotes  Matthew  xxvii.  51:  "The  veil  of 
the  church  was  rent,"  etc.  So  in  the  translation  of  Ovid's 
Metamorphosis  by  Golding  (completed  in  A.  D.  1575)  we 
have  "the  church  of  Juno";  so  in  Marlowe's  (A.  D.  1593) 
translation  of  Z?^ca?i,  "the  church  of  Jove."  (See  Trench's 
Select  Glossary.) 

Vs.  39.  "  iuuoiiio  ixxXTjoia,''  an  assembly  not  merely  per- 
mitted, but  required,  or  constituted  by  the  laws,  in  contra- 
distinction from  the  informal  (however  laiofal)  meeting  he 
was  then  addressing. 

Vs.  40.  "  azaae;;,'''  corresponding  to  the  "coetus,"  "  aua- 
zpoi^'Tj'''  to  the  "consensus"  of  the  Roman  law.  (See  Alex- 
ander, in  loc,  and  Trollope's  note  below.)  Ixxlr^a'ui  ivvoficu, 
a  legal  popular  assembly,  i/.xh^a'ia.  vofju[j.oQ,  an  assembly  of 
the  ordinary  sort.  exxArjoia  a'jyxlrjZOQ,  an  extraordinary  one. 
(Meyer,  in  loc.)  • 

CHAPTER  XX. 

XXX.  Paul's  Return  Through  Macedonia  and  Greece  to 
Troas.  His  Preaching  and  Restoration  of  Eutychus. 
His  Stop  at  Miletus  and  Charge  to  the  Ephesian 
Elders  There,     (Verses  1-38.) 

And  after  the  uproar  was  ceased,  Paul  having  sent  for  the    1 
disciples  and  exhorted  them,  took  leave  of  them,  and  departed 
13 


178  Miscellanies. 

2  for  to  go  into  Macedonia.  And  when  he  had  gone  through 
those  parts,  and  had  given  them  much  exhortation,  he  came  into 

3  Greece.  And  when  he  had  spent  three  months  there,  and  a 
plot  was  laid  against  him  by  the  Jews,  as  he  was  about  to  set 
sail  for  Syria,  he  determined  to  return  through   Macedonia. 

4  And  there  accompanied  him  as  far  as  Asia  Sopater  of  Beroea, 
the  son  of  Pyrrhus;  and  of  the  Thessalonians,  Aristarchus  and 
Secundus;    and   Gains  of  Derbe,  and  Timothy;    and  of  Asia, 

5  Tychicus  and   Trophimus.      But  these  had  gone  before,   and 

6  were  waiting  for  us  at  Troas.  And  we  sailed  away  from  Phi- 
lippi  after  the  days  of  unleavened  bread,  and  came  unto  them 
to  Troas  in  five  days ;  where  we  tai'ried  seven  dajs. 

7  And  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  we  were  gathered 
together  to  break  bread,  Paiil  discoursed  with  them,  intending 
to  depart  on  the  morrow ;  and  prolonged  his  speech  until  mid- 

8  night.      And  there  were  many  lights  in  the  upper  chamber, 

9  where  we  were  gathered  together.  And  there  sat  in  the  win- 
dow a  certain  young  man  named  Eutychus,  borne  down  with 
deep  sleep;  and  as  Paul  discoursed  yet  longer,  being  borne 
down  by  his  sleep  he  fell  down  from  the  third  story,  and  was 

10  taken  up  dead.  And  Paul  went  down,  and  fell  on  him,  and 
embracing  him  said.    Make  ye  no  ado ;  for  his  life  is  in  him. 

11  And  when  he  was  gone  up,  and  had  broken  the  bread,  and 
eaten,  and  had  talked  with  them  a  long  while,  even  till  break 

12  of  day,  so  he  departed  And  they  brought  the  lad  alive,  and 
were  not  a  little  comforted. 

13  But  we,  going  before  to  the  ship,  set  sail  for  Assos,  there  in- 
tending to   take  in  Paul:    for  so  had  he  appointed,  intending 

14  himself  to  go  by  land.     And  when  he  met  us  at  Assos,  we  took 

15  him  in,  and  came  to  Mitylene.  And  sailing  from  thence,  we 
came  the  following  day  over  against  Chios ;  and  the  next  day 
we  touched  at  Samos ;  and  the  day  after  we  came  to  Miletus. 

16  For  Paul  had  determined  to  sail  past  Ephesus,  that  he  might 
not  have  to  spend  time  in  Asia  ;  for,  he  was  hastening,  if  it  were 
possible  for  him,  to  be  at  Jerusalem  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

17  And  from  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus,  and  called  to  him  the 

18  elders  of  the  church.  And  when  they  were  come  to  him,  he 
said  unto  them, 

Ye  yourselves  know,  from  the  first  day  that  I  set  foot  in  Asia, 

19  after  what  manner  I  was  with  you  all  the  time,  serving  the 
Lord  with  all  lowliness  of  mind,  and  with  tears,  and  with  trials 

20  which  befell  me  by  the  plots  of  the  Jews :  how  that  I  shrank 
not  from  declaring  unto  you  anything  that  was  profitable,  and 

21  teaching  you  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house,  testifying  both 
to  Jews  and  to  Greeks  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  179 

our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     And  now,  behold,  I  go  bound  iu  the  22 
spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the  things  that  shall  befall 
me  there :  save  that  the  Holy  Ghost  testifieth  unto  me  in  every  23 
city,  saying  that  bonds  and  afflictions  abide  me.     But  I  hold  24 
not  my  life  of  any  account,  as  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  may 
accomplish  my  course,  and  the  ministiy  which  I  received  from 
the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.     And  25 
now,  behold,  I  know  that  ye  all,  among  whom  I  went  about 
preaching  the  kingdom,  shall  see  my  face  no  more.     Wherefore  26 
I  testify  unto  you  this  day,  that  I  am  pure  from  the  blood  of  all 
men.     For  I  shrank    not  from  declaring  unto  jou  the  wht)le  27 
counsel  of  God.     Take    heed  unto  yourselves,   and  to  all  the  28 
flock,  in  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  bishops,  to 
feed  the  church  of  God,   which  he  purchased  with  his  own 
blood.     I  know  that  after  my  departing  grievous  wolves  shall  29 
enter  in  among  .you,  not  sparing  the  flock ;   and  from  among  30 
your  own  selves  shall  men  arise,  speakmg  perverse  things,  to 
draw  away  the  disciples  after  them.     Wherefore  watch  ye,  re-  31 
membering  that  by  the  space  of  three  years  I  ceased  not  to  ad- 
monish every  one  night  and  day  with  tears.    And  now  I  commend  32 
you  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of  his  grace,  which  is  able  to  build 
you  up,  and  to  give  you  the  inheritance  among  all  them  that  are 
sanctified.      I    coveted   no   man's  silver,  or  gold,  or  apparel.  33 
Ye  yourselves  know  that  these  hands  ministered  unto  my  neces-  34 
sities,  and  to  them  that  were  with  me.     In  all  things  I  gave  35 
you  an  example,  how  that   so  labouring  ye  ought  to  help  the 
weak,  and  to  remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  he 
himself  said.  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive. 

And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  kneeled  down,  and  prayed  36 
vdth  them  all.     And  they  all  wept  sore,  and  fell  on  Paul's  neck  37 
and  kissed  him,  sorrowing  most  of  all  for  the  word  which  he  38 
had  spoken,  that  they  should  behold  his  face  no  more.     And 
they  brought  him  on  his  way  unto  the  ship. 

Vs.  3.  Hellas,  as  distinguished  from  Macedonia.  During 
these  three  months,  Paul  wrote  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  as 
is  now  generally  supposed. 

Vs.  4.  Seven — four  from  Asia  (two  from  the  interior,  and 
two  from  the  western  coast)  and  three  from  Europe,  repre- 
senting the  Gentiles'  churches.  Perhaps  bearing  the  contri- 
bution of  the  Gentiles,  and  as  such  corresponding  with  the 
seven  almoners  or  deacons  in  the  mother  church  itself. 
(Alexander,  in  loc.) 


180  Miscellanies. 

dxpc  rrjz  'Aaca<;  is  probably  to  be  taken  in  the  "  exclu- 
sive sense,"  up  to  that  point  from  which  the  voyage  to  Asia 
is  usually  made,  i.  e.,  to  Philippi.  The  seven  companions 
left  Paul  and  Luke  there,  and  went  before  to  Troas,  where 
they  waited  for  Paul,     (Wieseler  apud  Baumgarten.) 

Vs.  5.  Paul  and  the  historian.  Hence  Timothy  (who  had 
gone  before)  was  not  the  historian. 

Vs.  7.  An  argument  for  the  "  observance  of  the  first  day  of 
the  week  at  that  time,  for  stated  public  worship."  Paul 
arrived  at  Troas  on  Monday  (see  end  of  verse  6)  and  left  on 
Monday.  He  waited,  it  appears,  six  days  for  an  opportunity 
to  preach  on  Sunday,  just  as  a  preacher  might  now  do. 

The  first  record  of  the  communion  at  the  Lord's  table 
of  Jews  and  Gentiles  together.  Paul  (and  probably  Silas) 
were  Jews;  the  rest  Gentiles.  And  these  Gentiles  were 
travelling  with  the  contributions  of  the  Gentile  churches 
(compare  Acts  ii.  29,  30)  made  for  the  Jewish  saints.  How 
glorious  the  brotherhood  and  communion  of  the  nations  in 
Christ,  the  "Son  of  man"  ! 

Vs.  8.  "  Many  lights^  This  shows  how  careful  the  disci- 
ples were  to  avoid  giving  occasion  for  scandal.  (Rieger  in 
Lechlen,  in  loc.) 

Vs.  13-15.  Assos,  a  seaport  of  Mysia,  not  far  from  Troas ; 
Mitylene,  capital  of  Lesbos,  an  island  opposite  Assos ;  Chios, 
an  island  in  the  J^^gean  Sea,  one  of  the  places  which  claimed 
to  be  the  birthplace  of  Homer  ("  the  blind  old  bard  of  Scios' 
rocky  isle") ;  Samos,  island,  birthplace  of  Pythagoras;  Mile- 
tus, birthplace  of  Thales. 

Vs.  17.  TT/tsai'^'jTeoou,  "chosen  rulers"  (Deut.  i.  13,  15;  xvi. 
18  ;  Judges  xi.  11 ;  2  Sam.  vi.  1),  and,  as  such,  representatives 
of  the  people. 

Vs.  19.  daxo'j(ov.  The  tears  of  Paul  are  frequently  noted. 
Three  times  in  this  discourse :  1.  In  this  verse.  2.  In  verse 
31.  3.  In  verse  37  (by  implication).  The  first  were  tears  of 
grief  for  his  own  sufferings.     The  second,  tears  of  charity 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  181 

and  compassion  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  The  third,  tears 
of  tenderness  and  affection  as  a  man  and  a  Christian.  Com- 
pare his  Master's  tears :  1.  Of  sorrow  in  Gethsemane  (Heb. 
V.  7).  2,  Of  charity,  over  Jerusalem  (Luke  xix.  41).  3.  Of 
tenderness  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus  (John  ii.  35).  (See  the 
striking  discourse  of  Monod,  the  second  of  the  discourses  on 
Paul.  See  also  the  sermon  of  John  M.  Mason  on  this  pas- 
sage in  his  Works,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  343  ff.) 

Vs.  28.  TToi/ir^v  is  the  general  word  for  the  shepherd's  office, 
and  generally  has  the  sense  in  the  New  Testament  of  7'nling. 
^oaxtcv  is  the  special  function  oi  feeding  and  pasturing.  (See 
John  xxi.  15-17.)  There  are  three  titles  given  to  the  church 
officers  here  assembled:  7:pea^i)TE(Joo;;  (presbytery),  the  name 
of  dignity ;  i-Kyxo-ou^  (overseer),  the  name  of  function  ; 
Tzoifjiius:;  (shepherd),  the  poetical  name. 

Vs.  29,  30.  See  my  note  on  Acts  xix.  20,  supra,  and  compare 
Rev.  ii.  1  ff. 

Vs.  35.  Compare  1  Chron.  xxix.  9-17  for  the  blessedness  of 
givijig. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

XXXI.  Paul's  Voyage  to  Tyee  and  Stay  There.  His 
Journey  to  C^esarea  and  Stay  There.  Journey  to 
Jerusalem  and  Reception  there  by  the  Church  and 
People.     Leave  to  Address  the  Mob.     (Verses  1-40.) 

And  when  it  came  to  pass  that  we  were  parted  from  them,    1 
and  had  set  sail,  we  came  with  a  straight  course  unto  Cos,  and 
the  next  day  unto  Rhodes,  and  from  thence  unto  Patai'a:  and    2 
having  found  a  ship  crossing  over  unto  Phoenicia,  we   went 
aboard,  and  set  sail.     And  when  we  had  come  in  sight  of  Cy-    3 
prus,  leaving  it  on  the  left  hand,  we  sailed  unto  Syria,  and 
landed  at  Tyre:  for  there  the  ship  was  to  unlade  her  burden. 
And  having  found  the  disci])les,  we  tarried  there  seven  days:    4 
and  these  said  to  Paul  through  the  Spirit,  that  he  should  not  set 
foot  in  Jerusalem.     And  when  it  came  to  pass  that  we  had  ac-    5 
comiDlished  the  days,  we  departed  and  went  on  our  journey; 
and  they  all,  with  wives  and  children,  brought  us  on  our  way, 


182  Miscellanies. 

6  till  we  were  out  of  the  cit}':  and  kneeling  down  on  the  beach, 
we  prayed,  and  bade  each  other  farewell ;  and  we  went  on  board 
the  ship,  but  they  returned  home  again. 

7  And  when  we  had  finished  the  voyage  from  Tyre,  we  arrived 
at  Ptolemais;  and  we  saluted  the  brethren,  and   abode  with 

8  them  one  day.  And  on  the  morrow  we  departed,  and  came 
unto  Caesarea :  and  entefing  into  the  house  of  Philip  the  evan- 

9  gelist,  who  was  one  of  the  seven,  we  abode  with  him.     Now  this 

10  man  had  four  daughters,  virgins,  which  did  prophesy.  And  as 
we  tarried  there  many  days,  there  came  down  from  Jud?ea  a 

11  certain  prophet,  named  Agabus.  And  coming  to  us,  and  taking 
Paul's  girdle,  he  bound  his  own  feet  and  hands,  and  said,  Thus 
saith  the  Holy  Ghost,  So  shall  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  bind  the 
man  that  owneth  this  girdle,  and  shall  deliver  him  into  the 

12  hands  of  the  Gentiles.  And  when  we  heard  these  things,  both 
we  and  they  of  that  place  besought  him  not  to  go  up  to  Jerusa- 

13  lem.  Then  Paul  answered.  What  do  ye,  weeping  and  break- 
ing my  heart  ?  for  I  am  ready  not  to  be  bound  only,  but  also 

IJ:  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  when 
he  would  not  be  persuaded,  we  ceased,  saying,  The  will  of  the 
Lord  be  done. 

15  And  after  these  days  we  took  up  our  baggage,  and  went  up 

16  to  Jerusalem.  Aud  there  went  with  us  also  certain  of  the  dis- 
ciples from  Ctesarea,  bringing  with  them  one  Mnason  of  Cyprus, 
an  early  disciple,  with  whom  we  should  lodge. 

17  And  when  we  were  come  to  Jerusalem,  the  brethren  received 
us  gladly.     And  the  day  following  Paul  went  in  with  us  unto 

18  James;  and  all  the- elders  were  present.     And  when  he  had  sa- 

19  luted  them,  he  rehearsed  one  by  one  the  things  which  God  had 

20  wrought  among  the  Gentiles  by  his  ministry.  And  they,  when 
they  heard  it,  glorified  God;  and  they  said  unto  him,  Thou 
seest,  brother,  how  many  thousands  there  are  among  the  Jews 
of  them  which  have  believed;   and  they  are  all  zealous  for  the 

21  law:  and  they  have  been  informed  concerning  thee,  that  thou 
teachest  all  the  Jews  which  are  among  the  Gentiles  to  forsake 
Moses,  telling  them  not  to  -^ircumcise  their  children,  neither  to 

22  walk  after  the  customs.     "What  is  it  therefore  ?  they  will  cer- 

23  tainly  hear  that  thou  art  come.     Do  therefore  this  that  we  say 

24  to  thee :  We  have  four  men  which  have  a  vow  on  them ;  these 
take,  and  purify  thyself  with  them,  and  be  at  charges  for  them, 
that  they  may  shave  their  heads :  and  all  shall  know  that  there  is 
no  truth  in  the  things  whereof  they  have  been  informed  concern- 
ing thee;  but  that  thou  thyself  also  walkest  orderly,  keeping  the 

25  law.  But  as  touching  the  Gentiles  which  have  beheved,  we 
wrote,  giving  judgment  that  they  should  keep  themselves  from 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  183 

things  sacrificed   to   idols,    and   from    blood,    and   from  what 
is  strangled,  and  from  fornication.     Then  Paul  took  the  men,  26 
and  the  next  day  purifying  himself  with  them  went  into  the 
temple,  declaring  the  fulfilment  of  the  days  of  purification,  un- 
til the  offering  was  offered  for  every  one  of  them. 

And  when  the  seven  days  were  almost  completed,  the  Jews  27 
from  Asia,  when  they  saw  him  in  the  temple,  stirred  up  all  the 
multitude,  and  laid  hands  on  him,  crying  out.  Men  of  Israel, 
help:  This  is  the  man  that  teacheth  all  men  everywhere  against  28 
the  people,  and  the  law,  and  this  place :  and  moreover  he  brought 
Greeks  also  into  the  temple,  and  hath  defiled  this  holy  place. 
For  they  had  before  seen  with  him  in  the  city  Trophimus  the  29 
Ephesian,  whom  they  supposed  that  Paul  had  brought  into  the 
temple.     And  all  the  city  was  moved,  and  the  people  ran  to-  30 
gether:  and  they  laid  hold  on  Paul,  and  dragged  him  out  of  the 
temi^le :  and  straightway  the  doors  were  shut.     And  as  they  31 
were  seeking  to  kill  him,  tidings  came  up  to  the  chief  captain 
of  the  band,  that  all  Jerusalem  was  in  confusion.     And  forth-  32 
with  he  took  soldiers  and  centurions,  and  ran  down  upon  them : 
and  they,  when  they  saw  the  chief  captain  and  the  soldiers,  left 
off  beating  Paul.     Then  the  chief  captain  came  near,  and  laid  33 
hold  on  him,  and  commanded  him  to  be  bound  with  two  chains  ; 
and  inquired  who  he  was,  and  what  he  had  done.     And  some  34 
shouted  one  thing,  some  another,  among  the  crowd:  and  when 
he  could  not  know  the  certainty  for  the  uproar,  he  commanded 
him  to  be  brought  into  the  castle.     And  when  he  came  upon  the  35 
stairs,  so  it  was,  that  he  was  borne  of  the  soldiers  for  the  vio- 
lence of  the  crowd;   for  the  multitude  of  the  people  followed  36 
after,  ciying  out,  Away  with  him. 

And  as  Paul  was  about  to  be  brought  into  the  castle,  he  saith  37 
unto  the  chief  captain,  May  I  say  something  unto  thee  ?     And 
he  said,  Dost  thou  know  Greek?     Art  thou  not  then  the  Egyp-  38 
tian,  which  before  these  days  stirred  uj)  to  sedition  and  led  out 
into  the  wilderness  the  four  thousand  men  of  the  Assassins  ?    But  39 
Paid  said,  I  am  a  Jew,  of  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  a  citizen  of  no  mean 
city :  and  I  beseech  thee,  give  me  leave  to  speak  unto  the  peo- 
ple.    And  when  he  had  given  him  leave,  Paul,  standing  on  the  40 
stall's,  beckoned  with  the  hand  unto  the  people;  and  when  there 
was  made  a  great  silence,  he  spake  unto  them  in  the  Hebrew 
language,  saying. 

Vs.  1.   "  Cosy     An  island  off  the  coast  of  Caria,  famous  for 

the  worship  of  J^sculapius,  and  the  residence  of  Hippocrates. 

Vs.  3.    aj/acra^ai^r^c-     See  note  on  Acts   xii.   10  above  for 


184  Miscellanies. 

solecisms  of  this  kind,  iutouo/iov.  A  superstitious  euphemism 
for  docaTef>ov  or  e^uoiarefHov.  (See  Luke  xxiii.  33  ;  2  Cor.  yi.  7 ; 
compare  Matt.  yi.  3.) 

Vs.  7.  "  PioIe7nais"  In  Old  Testament,  Acco;  later,  Acre 
(or  Saint  Jean  d'  Acre).  Crusades,  French  Revolution,  wars 
of  Greek  independence,  England  and  Austria  verstis  Russia. 

Vs.  11.  dozod  of  the  TexUis  Receptus  ought  to  be  clotou. 
Indeed,  the  modern  critics  read,  with  the  oldest  manuscripts, 
eaoTob,  of  which  S.'jtou  is  a  contraction.  It  is  more  natural  to 
suppose  that  Agabus  bound  his  own  hands  and  feet  than 
those  of  Paul. 

Vs.  16.  dfiy^aiuj,  not  TiaXacoQ,  a  disciple  of  long  standing,  not 
an  old  man  who  was  a  disciple.     The  Revision  has  "  early." 

Vs.  21.  xazr^-^Ti&rjaav.  "Were,  or  have  been,  instructed." 
Paul's  enemies  were  careful  to  teach  the  people  that  he  had 
been  teaching  apostasy  from  Moses. 

It  appears  from  this  that  the  Hebrew  Christians  would 
have  continued  to  circumcise  their  children  if  baptism  had 
not  taken  the  place  of  circumcision;  and  as  baptism  has 
come  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  if  Paul  and  the  other 
apostles  had  taught  that  children  were  not  to  be  baptized, 
that  a  great  uproar  would  have  arisen  among  these  Christians 
on  account  of  the  abridgment  of  their  privileges. 

Vs.  26.  "  He  entered  into  the  temple,  giving  public  notice 
that  the  days  of  purification  were  fulfilled  [and  stayed  there] , 
till  the  offering  for  each  one  of  them  was  brought."  (Cony- 
beare  and  Howson,  translation.)  De  Wette  has,  for  the  last 
clause,  "Bis  die  opfer  dargehracht  wciren  far  einen  jeglichen 
von  ilmeny  (Revision  of  1881,  same  as  Conybeare  and 
Howson.) 

Vs.  28.  '■'■  dariyaylv""  and  ^^ xexoivcoAZV^''  The  first  denoting 
a  single  act  (aorist),  the  second  an  ahiding  result  (perfect). 
He  brought  Greeks  into  the  temple,  and,  as  a  consequence, 
the  temple  was,  and  stiU  is,  profaned.  (See  a  nice  example 
of  the  distinction  between  the  aorist  and  the  perfect  in  Matt. 
XXV.  14-30,  and  my  note  thereon.) 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  185 

Vs.  31.  azecoa.  In  military  liistorj  a  maniple  (battalion), 
two  centuries,  third  part  of  a  cohort.  But  words  of  this  sort 
in  ancient  times,  as  in  modern,  were  laxly  used.  Hence,  the 
commander  of  the  force  is  called  (verse  33)  a  chiliarch,  or 
commander  of  a  thousand  {trihunua).  (Compare  Acts  x.  1; 
iv.  1;  V.  24,  26;  John  xviii.  3,  12;  Alexander,  in  loc.) 

Vs.  33.  rr'c  «v  el'/]  x.  r.  X.  (according  to  the  Textus  Receptus). 
The  optative  is  used  in  the  oratlo  ohliqua,  when  the  senti- 
ments of  a  speaker  are  recorded,  but  not  given  in  his  own 
person.  When  an  inquirer  anticipates  uncertainty  or  inde- 
cision in  a  reply,  the  presumed  contingency  passing  through 
his  mind  is  marked  by  the  insertion  of  dv.  Thus  tcrj  (optative) 
iaztv  -eTzocYfAcoi:  (indicative)  because  in  the  mind  of  the  chiliarch 
there  was  less  difficulty  in  finding  out  what  Paul  had  done  than 
in  discovering  who  he  was.  But  it  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  very  difficult  to  find  out  who  Paul  was  (verses  38,  39). 

Vs.  35.  auvk^Q,  like  iyiusro,  with  the  accusative  and  infini- 
tive, as  in  Luke  iii.  21 ;  vi.  1,  2;  frequently  elsewhere,  a'jvi^^vj 
more  frequent  in  the  classics,  iyivero  in  the  New  Testament. 

Vs.  38.  The  accent  on  the  doa  is  rather  against  the  inter- 
rogative reading  of  this  sentence.  (See  note  on  chapter  vii.  1, 
stq^ra.)  But  the  accents  are  not  in  the  manuscripts,  and  in 
such  words  as  these  are  really  an  interpretation. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

XXXII.     Paul's   Defence    and  the    Fury   of  the  Jews. 

The  Chief  Captain  and  Paul.     (Verses  1-30.) 

Brethren  and  fathers,  hear  ye  the  defence  which  I  now  make    1 
unto  you. 

And  when  they  heaid  that  he  spake  unto  them  in  the  Hebrew    2 
language,  they  were  the  more  quiet :  and  he  saith, 

I  am  a  Jew,  born  in  Tarsus  of  Cihcia,  but  brought  up  in  this    3 
city,  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  instructed  according  to  the  strict 
manner  of  the  law  of  our  fathers,  being  zealous  for  God,  even 
as  ye  all  are  this  day ;  and  I  persecuted  this  Way  unto  the  death,    4 
binding  and  delivering  into  prisons  both  men  and  women.     As    5 


186  Miscellanies. 

also  the  high  priest  doth  bear  me  witness,  aud  all  the  estate  of 
the  elders :  from  whom  also  I  received  letters  unto  the  brethren, 
and  journeyed  to  Damascus,  to  bring  them  also  which  were  there 

6  unto  Jerusalem  in  bonds,  for  to  be  punished.  And  it  came  to 
pass,  that,  as  I  made  my  journey,  and  drew  nigh  unto  Damascus, 
about  noon,  suddenly  there  slaone  from  heaven  a  great  light 

7  round  about  me.    And  I  fell  unto  the  ground,  and  heard  a  voice 

8  saying  unto  me,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  And  I 
answered,  Who  art  thou.  Lord  ?     And  he  said  unto  me,  I  am 

9  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  thou  persecutest.  And  they  that  were 
with  me  beheld  indeed  the  light,  but  tbey  heard  not  the  voice  of 

10  him  that  spake  to  me.  And  I  said.  What  shall  1  do.  Lord  ?  And 
the  Lord  said  unto  me,  Arise,  and  go  into  Damascus ;  and  there 
it  shall  be  told  thee  of  all  things  which  are  appointed  for  thee 

11  to  do  And  when  I  could  not  see  for  the  glory  of  that  light, 
being  led  by  the  hand  of   them  that  were  with  me,  I  came 

12  into  Damascus.     And  one  Ananias,  a  devout  man  according  to 

13  the  law,  well  reported  of  by  all  the  Jews  that  dwelt  there,  came 
unto  me,  and  standing  by  me  said  unto  me,  Brother  Saul,  receive 

14  thy  sight.  And  in  that  very  hour  I  looked  up  on  him.  And  he 
said.  The  God  of  our  fathers  hath  appointed  thee  to  know  his 
will,  and  to  see  the  Righteous  One,  and  to  hear  a  voice  from  his 

15  mouth.     For  thou  shalt  be  a  witness  for  him  unto  all  men  of 
IG  what  thou  hast  seen  and  heard.     And  now  why  tarriest  thou? 

arise,  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  thy  sins,  calling  on  his 

17  name.     And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  when  I  had  returned  to  Jeru- 

18  salem,  and  while  I  prayed  in  the  temple,  I  fell  into  a  trance, 
and  saw  him  saying  unto  me.  Make  haste,  aud  get  thee  quickly 
out  of  Jerusalem :  because  they  will  not  receive  of  thee  testimony 

19  concerning  me.  And  I  said.  Lord,  they  themselves  know  that 
I  imprisoned  and  beat  in  every  synagogue  them  that  believed 

20  on  thee:  and  when  the  blood  of  Stephen  thy  witness  was  shed, 
I  also  was  standing  by,  and  consenting,  and  keeping  the  gar- 

21  ments  of  them  that  slew  him.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Depart: 
for  I  will  send  thee  forth  far  hence  unto  the  Gentiles. 

22  And  they  gave  him  audience  unto  this  word ;  and  they  lifted 
up  their  voice,  a,nd  said,  Away  with  such  a  fellow  from  the  earth ; 

23  for  it  is  not  fit  that  he  should  live.     And  as  they  cried  out,  and 

24  threw  off  their  garments,  and  cast  dust  into  the  air,  the  chief 
captain  commanded  him  to  be  brought  into  the  castle,  bidding 
that  he  should  be  examined  by  scourging,  that  he  might  know 

25  for  what  cause  they  so  shouted  against  him.  And  when  they 
had  tied  him  up  with  the  thongs,  Paul  said  unto  the  centurion 
that  stood  by,  Is  it  lawful  for  you  to  scourge  a  man  that  is  a 

•26  Roman,  and  uncondemned?  And  when  the  centurion  heard  it, 
he  went  to  the  chief  captain,  and  told  him,  saying,  What  art 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  187 

"thou  about  to  do  ?  for  this  man  is  a  Roman.    And  the  chief  cap-  27 
tain  came,  and  said  unto  him,   Tell  me,  art  thou  a  Roman? 
And  he  said.  Yea.     And  the  chief  captain  answered,  AVith  a  28 
gi'eat  sum  obtained  I  this  citizenship.     And  Paul  said,  But  I  29 
am  a  Roman  born.     They  then  which  were  about  to  examine 
him  straightway  departed  from  him :  and  the  chief  captain  also 
was  afraid,  when  he  knew  that  he  was  a  Roman,  and  because 
he  had  bound  him. 

But  on  the  moxTow,  desiring  to  know  the  certaintj^,  where-  30 
fore  he  was  accused  of  the  Jews,  he  loosed  him,  and  commanded 
the  chief  priests  and  all  the  council  to  come  together,  and  brought 
Paul  down,  and  set  him  before  them. 

Ys.  15.  "  koi^xr/.o.^i''  may  refer  to  the  direct  revelations  made 
to  Paul,  " YAooaa:;''''  to  those  he  received  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  others.  Some  critics  suppose  that  Paul,  when 
speaking  of  the  reception  of  the  last  sort  from  the  Lord,  uses 
dzo  (see  1  Cor.  xi.  23) ;  and  that  -doa  is  used  to  express  the 
first.  (See  Winer,  apud  Barnard's  Bampton  Lectures,  note 
viii.,  pp.  112,  246.) 

Vs.  16.  ^dzTcaac  -/.at  dTzoXoaac.  Instances  of  ^^  causative  mid- 
dle" (Latin,  curare ;  German,  sich  lassen)  :  "get  baptized  and 
get  thy  sins  washed  away."  The  aorist  participle  iTzrxahfrdfjtsi'O^ 
is  the  " appropriative  middle"  :  "calKng  on  the  Lord  for  thy- 
self." 

Ys.  18-21.  Note  how  this  bears  on  the  policy  of  making 
converts  to  Judaism  missionaries  to  the  Jews,  and  converts 
from  popery  missionaries  to  the  papists.  Paul's  reasoning  is 
plausible,  but  its  validity  not  allowed.  Compare  failure  of 
missions  above  named.     (See  Alexander,  in  loc.) 

Ys.  22.  Lachmann  has  "xadr^xeu."  "It  was  not  fit,  as  we 
said  before,  when  the  tribune  rescued  him  from  our  hands." 

Ys,  30.  -apa  of  the  Textus  lieceptus,  not  o-o,  because  no 
formal  charge  had  been  brought  by  the  Jews.  "  If  the  action 
proceeds  from  a  person,  -doa  or  o-o  is  used ;  Tzdna  indicates 
in  general  terms  the  source  of  motion ;  Stto  the  special  efficient 
producing  cause."  (Winer,  apwJ  Webster.)  Compare  Acts 
xxvi,  7 ;  and  ~a(>a  with  «-o  in  Mark  viii.  11.  This  rule  con- 
cerns only  ~d[>a  with  the  genitive. 


188  Miscellanies. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

XXXIII.  Paul  Befoke  the  Sanhedrim,  and  the  Dis- 
agreement Between  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees. 
Paul  Cheered  by  a  Yision.  The  Conspiracy  op  the 
Jews  to  Kill  Him,  and  the  Measures  Taken  by 
Claudius  Lysias  to  Prevent  Their  Doing  So.  Paul 
Kept  Prisoner  in  C.esarea  by  Felix.     (Verses  1-35.) 

1  Aud  Paul,  looking  stedfastly  on  the  council,  said,  Brethren,  I 
have  lived  before  God  in  all  good   conscience  until  this  day. 

2  And  the  high  priest  Ananias  coinmanded  them  that  stood  by 

3  him  to  smite  him  on  the  mouth.  Then  said  Paul  unto  him, 
God  shall  smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall-  and  sittest  thou  to 
judge  me  according  to  the  law,   and  commandest  me  to  be 

4  smitten  contrary  to  the  law?     And  they  that  stood  by  said, 

5  Revilest  thou  God's  high  priest?  And  Paul  said,  I  wist  not, 
brethren,  that  he  was  high  priest:  for  it  is  written,  Thou  shalt 

6  not  speak  evil  of  a  ruler  of  thy  people  But  when  Paul  per- 
ceived that  the  one  part  were  Sadducees,  and  the  other  Phari- 
sees, he  cried  out  in  the  council,  Brethren,  I  am  a  Pharisee,  a 
son  of  Pharisees:   touching  the  hope  and  resurrection  of  the 

7  dead  I  am  called  in  question.  And  when  he  had  so  said,  there 
arose  a  dissension  between  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees.  and 

8  the  assembly  was  divided.  For  the  Sadducees  say  that  there  is 
no  resurrection,   ueitlier  angel,  nor  spirit:   but  the  Pharisees 

9  confess  both.  And  there  arose  a  great  clamour*  and  some  of 
the  scribes  of  the  Pharisees'  part  stood  uj),  and  sti'ove,  saying. 
We  find  no  evil  in  this  man :  and  what  if  a  spirit  hath  spoken  to 

10  him,  or  an  angel?  And  when  there  arose  a  great  dissension, 
the  chief  captain,  fearing  lest  Paul  should  be  torn  in  pieces  by 
them,  commanded  the  soldiers  to  go  down  and  take  him  by 
force  fi'om  among  them,  and  bring  him  into  the  castle. 

11  And  the  night  following  the  Lord  stood  by  him,  and  said,  Be 
of  good  cheer:  for  as  thou  hast  testified  concerning  me  at  Jeru- 
salem, so  must  thou  bear  witness  also  at  Rome. 

12  And  when  it  was  day,  the  Jews  banded  together,  and  bound 
themselves  under  a  curse,  saying  that  they  would  neither  eat 

13  nor  drink  till  they  had  killed  Paul.     And  they  were  more  than 

14  forty  which  made  this  conspiracy.  And  they  came  to  the  chief 
priests  and  the  elders,  and  said.  We  have  bound  ourselves  under 

15  a  great  curse,  to  taste  nothing  until  we  have  killed  Paul.  Now 
therefore  do  ye  with  the  council  signify  to  the  chief  captain  that 
he  bring  him  down  unto  you,  as  though  ye  would  judge  of  his 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  189 

case  more  exactly:  and  we,  or  ever  he  come  near,  are  ready  to 
slay  him.     But  Paul's  sister's  son  heard  of  their  lying  in  wait,  16 
and  he  came  and  entered  into  the  castle,  and  told  Paul.     And  17 
Paul  called  unto  him  one  of  the  centurions,  and  said.  Bring  this 
young  man  unto  the  chief  captain:  for  he  hath  something  to  tell 
"him.     So  he  took  him,  and  brought  him  to  the  chief  captain,  18 
and  saith,  Paul  the  prisoner  called  me  unto  him,  and  asked  me 
to  bring  this  young  man  unto  thee,  who  hath  something  to  say 
to  thee.     And  the   chief  captain  took  him   by  the  hand,  and  19 
going  aside  asked  him  privately.  What  is  that  thou  hast  to  tell 
me?     And  he  said,  the  Jews  have  agreed  to  ask  thee  to  bring  20 
down  Paul  to-morrow  unto  the  council,  as  though  thou  wouldest 
inquire  somewhat  more  exactly  concerning  him.     Do  not  thou  21 
therefore  yield  unto  them:  for  there  lie  in  wait  for  him  of  them 
more  than  forty  men,  which  have  bound  themselves  under  a 
curse,  neither  to  eat  nor  to  drink  till  they  have  slain  him :  and 
now  are  they  ready,  looking  for  the  promise  from  thee.     So  the  22 
chief  captain  let  the  young  man  go,  charging  him,  Tell  no  man 
that  thou  hast  signified  these  things  to  me.     And  he  called  unto  23 
him  two  of  the  centurions,  and  said,  Make  ready  two  hundred 
soldiers  to  go  as  far  as  C?esarea,  and  horsemen  threescore  and 
ten,  and  spearmen  two  hundred,  at  the  third  hour  of  the  night : 
and  he  bade  them  provide  beasts,  that  they  might  set  Paul  24 
thereon,  and  bring  him  safe  unto  Felix  the  governor.     And  he  25 
wrote  a  letter  after  this  form : 

Claudius  Lysias  unto  the  most  excellent  governor  Fehx,  greet-  26 
ing.     This  man    was   seized  by   the  Jews,   and  was  about  to  27 
be  slain  of  them,  when  I  came  upon  them  with  the  soldiers, 
and  rescued  him,  having  learned  that  he  was  a  Roman.     And  28 
desiring   to   know  the  cause   wherefore   they   accused   him,   I 
brought  him  down  unto  their  council:   whom  I  found  to   be  29 
accused  about  questions  of  their  law,  but  to  have  nothing  laid 
to  his  charge  worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds.     And  when  it  was  30 
shewn  to  me  that  there  would  be  a  plot  against  the  man,  I  sent 
him  to  thee   forthwith,  charging    his    accusers    also   to    speak 
against  him  before  thee. 

So  the  soldiers,  as  it  was  commanded  them,  took  Paul,  and  31 
brought  him  by  night  to  Antipatris.     But  on  the  morrow  they  32 
left  the  horsemen  to  go  with  him,  and  returned  to  the  castle: 
and  they,  when  they  came  to  Ca3sarea,  and  delivered  the  letter  33 
to  the  governor,  presented  Paul  also  before  him.     And  when  he  34 
had  read  it,  he  asked  of  what  province  he  was;  and  when  he 
understood  that  he  was  of  Cilicia,  I  will  hear  thy  cause,  said  he,  35 
when  thine  accusers  also  are  come :   and  he  commanded  him  to 
be  kept  in  Herod's  palace. 


190  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  1.  TTBTioXizeoiiru  x.  r.  X.  "  I  have  lived  as  a  citizen  to 
God,"  of  that  body  (the  theocracy)  of  which  God  is  the  imme- 
diate sovereign.  Paul  asserts  not  merely  that  he  has  acted 
conscientiously,  but  that  he  has  acted  as  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Jewish  commonwealth ;  that  he,  and  not  his  adversaries, 
held  fast  to  the  true  design  and  spirit  of  the  Mosaic  institu- 
tions. (Alexander,  in  loc.)  Compare  Phil.  i.  27  for  the  use 
of  noAczeoio.  This  word  is  in  the  middle  voice  here  (the  appro- 
priative  middle).  Paul  claims  for  himself  the  rights  of  a  citi- 
zen in  the  commonwealth  of  Israel. 

Vs.  7.  ardaic.  Dispute,  as  in  Acts  xv.  5,  or  violent  commo- 
tio7i,  as  in  Acts  xix.  40.     (Alexander.) 

Vs.  10.  fXYj  &eofxd-^ionev  of  Textus  Heceptus.  The  rhetoric  is 
much  improved  by  leaving  out  these  words,  as  the  Revised 
New  Testament  does,  and  making  it  a  question. 

Vs.  14.  dva&iixazc.  Hebrew,  cherern — i.  e.,  devoted  to  God, 
either  to  his  special  service  {cluaOrjiia)  or  to  irremissible  de- 
struction {dvdd-efia). 

Vs.  23.  A  legion  consisted,  in  round  numbers,  of  six  thou- 
sand heavily-armed  infantry,  beside  calvary  and  auxiliaries 
(light  infantry).  The  legion  was  divided  into  ten  cohorts 
(imder  "chiliarchs"  or  "tribunes"),  and  fifty-five  companies 
(under  "centurions").  (Gibbon,  D.  and  F.  C,  1.)  The 
^^ azftaTuoza(;"  here  were  the  legionaries  proper;  the  ^^Itztzscc:" 
the  cavalry;  the  "  ds^eoMjSouc;"  (or,  as  in  manuscript  A, 
^' o£cio^o?.ooc'')  were  the  light-armed  '^ a^ixiliaries"  probably. 

Vs.  30.  Mixture  of  two  constructions :  (1),  iirjvod-darjz 
i-Kt^oli^c.  fiOlouaqq.  (2),  fxr^vuaavzcov  (or  fievudeuzo::)  tTic^ouhjv 
fiiXXooaav  x.  r.  X.     (De  Wette.) 

Vs.  34.  An  "eparchy"  was  the  domain  or  jurisdiction  of  an 
"eparch,"  a  term  used  by  the  later  Greek  historians  to  de- 
note the  Roman  ruler  of  a  conquered  country.  (Alexander, 
in  loc.) 

Vs.  35.  ota-AobaoiMt.  "  Hear  thee  through,"  i.  e.,  from  begin- 
ning to  end.      Qui  cum  elogio  mittuntur  ex  integro  audiendi 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  191 

sunt."  (Jiistiuian,  Pand.,  apud  Alexander,  in  loc.)  "  Elo- 
ghnn,''  teclmically,  is  the  case  of  a  prisoner  sent  from  an  in- 
ferior to  a  superior  tribunal,  with  a  statement  of  the  charge 
against  him.  The  connection  between  "learning  that  he  was 
of  Cilicia,"  and  "I  will  hear  thee,"  etc.,  is  not  logical,  but 
chronological  or  historical.  Felix,  being  informed  that  Paul 
was  a  Roman  citizen,  and  as  such  enrolled  in  some  division 
of  the  empire,  wished  to  know  what  division,  as  a  matter  of 
curiosity  perhaps,  certainly  not  to  settle  the  question  of  juris- 
diction as  to  his  case.     This  he  had,  anyway. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

XXXIY.  The  Arrival  of  Paul's  Accusers  from  Jerusalem, 
AND  the  Speech  of  Their  Advocate.  Paul's  Answer 
to  the  Charge,  and  the  Adjournment  of  the  Cause. 
Felix's  Treatment  of  Paul.     (Verses  1-27.) 

And  after  five  days  the  high  priest  Ananias  came  down  with    1 
certain  elders,  aud  with  an  orator,  one  Tertullus;  and  they  in- 
formed the  governor  against  Paul.     And  when  he  was  called,    2 
Tertullus  began  to  accuse  him,  saying, 

Seeing  that  by  thee  we  enjoy  much  jDeace,  and  that  by  thy 
providence  evils  are  corrected  for  this  nation,  we  accept  it  in  all    3 
ways  and  in  all  places,  most  excellent  Felix,  with  all  thankfulness. 
But,  that  I  be  not  further  tedious  unto  thee,  I  intreat  thee  to    4 
hear  us  of  thy  clemency  a  few  words.     For  we  have  found  this    5 
man  a  jiestilent  fellow,  and  a  mover  of  insurrections  among  all 
the  Jews  throughout  the  world,  and  a  ringleader  of  the  sect  of 
the  Nazarenes:  who  moreover  assayed  to  profane  the  temple:     6 
on  whom  also  we  laid  hold:  from  whom  thou  wilt  be  able,  by    8 
examining  him  thyself,  to  take  knowledge  of  all  these  things, 
whereof  we  accuse  him.     And  the  Jews  also   joined   in   the    9 
charge,  affirming  that  these  things  were  so. 

And  when  the  governor  had  beckoned  unto  him  to  speak,  10 
Paul  answered, 

Forasmuch  as  1  know  that  thou  hast  been  of  many  years  a 
judge  unto  this  nation,  I  do  cheerfully  make  my  defence:  seeing  11 
that  thou  canst  take  knowledge  that  it  is  not  more  than  twelve 
days  since  I  went  up  to  worship  at  Jerusalem:  and  neither  in  12 


192  Miscellanies. 

the  temple  did  they  find  me  disputing  with  any  man  or  stirring 

13  up  a  crowd,  nor  in  the  synagogues,  nor  in  the  city.    Neither  can 

14  they  prove  to  thee  the  things  whereof  they  now  accuse  me.  But 
this  I  confess  unto  thee,  that  after  the  Way  which  they  call  a 
sect,  so  serve  I  the  God  of  our  fathers,  believing  all  things 
which  are  according  to  the  law,  and  which  are  written  in  the 

15  prophets:  having  hope  toward  God,  which  these  also  themselves 
look  for,  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  both  of  the  just  and 

16  unjust.     Herein  do  I  also  exercise  myself  to  have  a  conscience 

17  void  of  offence  toward  God  and  men  alway.     Now  after  many 

18  years  I  came  to  bring  alms  to  my  nation,  and  offerings:  amidst 
which  they  found  me  purified  in  the  temple,  with  no  crowd, 
nor  yet  with  tumult:  but  there  were  certain  Jews  from  Asia — 

19  who  ought  to  have  been  here  before  thee,  and  to  make  accusa- 

20  tion,  if  they  had  aught  against  me.  Or  else  let  these  men 
themselves  say  what  wrong-doing  they  found,  when  I  stood  be- 

21  fore  the  council,  except  it  be  for  this  one  voice,  that  I  ci'ied 
standing  among  them.  Touching  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  I 
am  called  in  question  before  you  this  day. 

22  But  Felix,  having  more  exact  knowledge  concerning  the  Way, 
deferred  them,  saying,  When  Lysias  the  chief  captain  shall 

23  come  down,  I  will  determine  your  matter.  And  he  gave  order 
to  the  centurion  that  he  should  be  kept  in  charge,  and  should 
have  indulgence,  and  not  to  forbid  any  of  his  friends  to  minis- 
ter unto  him. 

24  But  after  certain  days,  Felix  came  with  Drusilla,  his  wife, 
which  was  a  Jewess,  and  sent  for  Paul,  and  heard  him  concern- 

25  ing  the  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  as  he  reasoned  of  right- 
eousness, and  temperance,  and  the  judgement  to  come,  Felix 
was  terrified,  and  answered.  Go  thy  way  for  this  time;  and 

26  when  I  have  a  convenient  season,  I  will  call  thee  unto  me.  He 
hoped  withal  that  money  would  be  given  him  of  Paul :  where- 
fore also  he  sent 'for  him  the  oftener,  and  communed  with  him. 

27  But  when  two  years  were  fulfilled,  Felix  was  succeeded  by  Poi*- 
cius  Festus;  and  desiring  to  gain  favor  with  the  Jews,  Felix 
left  Paul  in  bonds. 

Vs.  3.  xo.TO[)&coiJ.dTMv  of  tke  Textus  Receptus  means  suc- 
cess in  battle ;  bcopd^oifidzoiv,  improvements ;  hence,  the  read- 
ing adopted  by  the  revisers  is  preferable. 

Ys.  14.  (Ufteat;:  is  nearer  in  signification  to  our  modern  word 
"school,"  or  "party,"  than  to  "heresy."  It  is,  therefore, 
nearer  to  the  scriptural  idea  of  '^schism'"  than  to  the  eccle- 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  193 

siastical  idea  of  "heresy,"  an  idea  which  is  not  found  in 
Scripture  at  all.  "  The  rendering  of  our  translators  here  is 
doubly  objectionable,  (a),  In  putting  a  meaning  on  the  word 
which  it  never  has  in  the  New  Testament ;  (7j),  In  hiding 
from  view  the  correspondence  between  this  defence  and  the 
accusation  in  verse  5,  by  using  different  English  words  for 
the  same  word  in  Greek."     (Alexander,  in  loco.) 

Ys.  17.  Alms,  which  are  also  offerings.  See  Heb.  xiii.  16, 
where  &uaca  is  applied  to  "charities."  &oaia  is  a  species  of 
the  genus  TZftoaifofui,  or  not  only  alms,  but  offerings,  that  is, 
offerings  in  the  temple. 

Vs.  18.  xivlz  ok.  If  the  OS  is  retained,  the  construction  to  be 
adopted  is  the  following :  put  a  period  after  the  word  &of)u^ou ; 
then  begin  another  sentence.  The  sentence  is  incomplete, 
but  may  be  completed  by  simply  adding  the  words  in  Acts 
xxi.  27,  supra  ;  as  if  Paul  woidd  say :  "  I  made  no  crowd  nor 
tumult,  but  certain  Jews  from  Asia  did,  when  they  saw  me 
in  the  temple."     (See  De  Wette,  in  loco.) 

Vs.  19.  See  Acts  xxi.  27.  If  the  de  is  retained,  the  con- 
struction of  the  Kevised  Version  seems  best ;  as  if  the  apostle 
began  to*  say,  "but  the  Jews  from  Asia  made  a  crowd  and 
tumult,"  and  then  checks  himself  from  brincins  a  charee  in 
turn,  and  simply  says,  "they  oiightto  have  been  here,"  etc.; 
"or"  (as  it  is  now  too  late  to  repair  this  error,  as  the  Jews 
from  Asia  cannot  be  produced  in  court)  "let  these,"  etc. 

Vs.  22.  Felix's  knowledge  was  the  result  of  Paul's  speech. 
The  relation  of  Christianity  to  Judaism  was  not  understood 
by  the  Romans.  Felix  began  to  have  some  inkling  of  it  after 
hearing  Paul. 

Vs.  23.  "flvemv:'  See  2  Cor.  viii.  13;  2  Thess.  i.  7,  in  both 
of  which  places  it  is  opposed  to  d-Xiil'c^  here  "indulgence." 
(Ee vised  Version.) 

Vs.  27.  Felix  found  it  expedient  to  lay  up  favors  with  the 
Jews. 


13 


194  Miscellanies. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

XXXY.  Paul's  Cause  Heard  Before  Festus,  and  His 
Appeal  to  the  Emperor.  Festus  Consults  King 
Agrippa  about  Paul.  Agrippa's  Wish  to  Hear  Paul's 
Defence,  and  the  Consequent  Assembly  of  the  Court 
and  Statement  of  the  Cause  by  Festus.  (Verses 
1-27.) 

1  Festus,  therefore,  having  come  into  the  province,  after  three 

2  days  went  up  to  Jerusalem  from  Ciiesarea.  And  the  chief  priests 
and  the  principal  men  of  the  Jews  informed  him  against  Paul; 

3  and  they  besought  him,  asking  favour  against  him,  that  he 
would  send  for  him  to  Jerusalem ;  laying  wait  to  kill  him  on 

4  the  way.  Howbeit  Festus  answered,  that  Paul  was  kept  in 
charge  at  CtTesarea,  and  that  he  himself  was  about  to  depart 

5  thither  shortly.  Let  them  therefore,  saith  he,  which  are  of 
power  among  you,  go  down  with  me,  and  if  there  is  anything 
amiss  in  the  man,  let  them  accuse  him. 

6  And  when  he  had  tarried  among  them  not  more  than  eight 
or  ten  days,  he  went  down  unto  Ctesarea ;  and  on  the  morrow  he 
sat  on  the  judgement-seat,  and  commanded  Paul  to  be  brought. 

7  And  when  he  was  come,  the  Jews  which  had  come  down  from 
Jerusalem  stood  round  about  him,  bringing  against  him  many 
and  grievous  charges,  which  they  could  not  jDrove ;  while  Paul 

8  said  in  his  defence.  Neither  against  the  law  of  the  Jews,  nor 
against  the  temple,  nor  against  Csesar,  have  I  sinned  at  all. 

9  But  Festus,  desiring  to  gain  favour  with  the  Jews,  answered 
Paul,  and  said,  Wilt  thou  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  there  be 

10  judged  of  these  things  before  me?  But  Paul  said,  I  am  stand- 
ing before  Caesar's  judgement-seat,  where  I  ought  to  be  judged: 
to  the  Jews  have  I  done  no  wrong,  as  thou  also  very  well  knowest. 

11  If  then  I  am  a  wrong-doer,  and  have  committed  anything  worthy 
of  death,  I  refuse- not  to  die:  but  if  none  of  those  things  is  true, 

12  whereof  these  accuse  me,  no  man  can  give  me  up  unto  them.  I 
appeal  unto  Csesar.  Then  Festus,  when  he  had  conferred  with 
the  council,  answered,  Thou  hast  appealed  unto  Caesar:  unto 
Caesar  shalt  thou  go. 

13  Now  when  certain  days  were  passed,  Agrippa  the  king  and 

14  Bernice  arrived  at  Caesarea,  and  saluted  Festus.  And  as  they 
tarried  there  many  days,  Festus  laid  Paul's  case  before  the  king, 

15  saying.  There  is  a  certain  man  left  a  prisoner  by  Felix :  about 
whom,  when  I  was  at  Jerusalem,  the  chief  priests  and  the  elders  of 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  195 

the  Jews  informed  me,  asking  for  sentence  against  him.    To  whom  16 
I  answered,  that  it  is  not  the  custom  of  the  Romans  to  give  up  any 
man,  before  that  the  accused  have  the  accusers  face  to  face,  and 
have  had  opportunity  to  make  his  defence  concerning  the  matter 
laid  against   him.     When  therefore  they  were  come  together  17 
here,  I  made  no  delay,  but  on  the  next  day  sat  down  on  the 
judgement-seat,  and  commanded  the  man  to  be  brought.     Con-  18 
cerning  whom,  when  the  accusers  stood  up,  they  brought  no 
charge  of  such  evil  things  as  I  supposed ;  but  had  certain  ques-  19 
tions  against  him  of  their  own  religion,  and  of  one  Jesus,  who 
was  dead,  whom  Paul  aflfu-med  to  be  ahve.     And  I,  being  per-  20 
plexed  how  to  inquire  concerning  these  things,  asked  whether 
he  would  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  there  be  judged  of  these  matters. 
But  when  Paul  had  appealed  to  be  kept  for  the  decision  of  the  21 
emperor,  I  commanded  him  to  be  kept  till  I  should  send  him 
to  Csesar.     And  Agrippa  said  unto  Festus,  I  also  could  wish  to  22 
hear  the  man  myself.     To-morrow,  saith  he,  thou  shalt  hear 
him. 

So  on  the  morrow,  when  Agrippa  was  come,  and  Bernice,  23 
with  great  pomp,  and  they  were  entered  into  the  j^lace  of  hear- 
ing, with  the  chief  captains,  and  the  principal  men  of  the  city, 
at'the  command  of  Festus  Paul  was  brought  in.     And  Festus  24 
saith,  King  Agrippa,  and  all  men  which  are  here  present  with 
us,  ye  behold  this  man,  about  whom  all  the  multitude  of  the  Jews 
made  suit  to  me,  both  at  Jerusalem  and  here,  crying  that  he 
ought  not  to  live  any  longer.     But  I  found  that  he  had  com-  25 
mitted  nothing  worthy  of  death:  and  as  he  himself  appealed  to 
the  emperor  I  determined  to  send  him.     Of  whom  I  have  no  26 
certain  thing  to  wi'ite  unto  my  lord.     Wherefore  I  have  brought 
him  forth  before  you,  and  especially  before  thee,  king  Agrippa, 
that,  after  examination  had,  I  may  have  somewhat  to  write.    For  27 
it  seemeth  to  me  unreasonable,  in  sending  a  prisoner,  not  withal 
to  signify  the  charges  against  him. 

Vs.  4.  Tr^oet(T'V/.t.  The  Authorized  Version  ("should  be 
kept")  implies  that  the  present  infinitive  is  used  in  the  sense 
of  the  imperative.  This  usage  is  abundantly  sustained  by  the 
classic  Greek  writers  (Gildersleeve) ;  but  the  rendering  of  the 
Eevised  New  Testament  gives  the  true  meaning,  "  was  kept," 
etc. 

Vs.  6.  Kead  "  ob  Tihloo::  oxzco  -q  dsxa."  Lachmann  and  mar- 
gin of  Authorized  Version. 

Vs.  11.  d^«a>,  either  indicative  or  subjunctive;  probably 


196  Miscellanies. 

the  latter,  as  the  following  clause  is  in  the  indicative.  The 
only  objection  to  this  view  is  that  ec  with  the  indicative  gen- 
erally concedes  the  probability  of  the  thing,  as  in  the  next 
clause,  "  d  dk  ouoiu  icrvcu." 

yjiplaao&at.  "The  judge,"  says  Socrates  (Apologia  35), 
"does  not  sit  upon  the  bench  to  make  a  present  of  justice  " 
(tw     7t.araya()i.f^ea&ai    ra    diy.ata).     Says    Coriolanus   (Act    II,, 

Scene  3) : 

"Better  it  is  to  die,  better  to  starve 
Than  crave  the  hire  which  first  we  do  deserve." 

(Shedd  on  Rom.  iv.  4.) 

Vs.  16,  oux  earcv  i^o:;.  Equivalent  to,  "It  is  both  illegal 
and  irreligious."     (Alexander,  hi  loc.)     "  Contra  jus  fasq^ie." 

Vs.  19.  rrvoc  'hjaou.  "  Had  it  not  been  for  this  '  one  Jesus,' 
we  should  never  have  heard  of  this  one  Festus,  for  his  name 
is  not  mentioned  in  profane  history."  (See  R.  Hall's  Works, 
Vol,  IV,,  p.  19.) 

Vs.  20.  CrjTTjacu  is  the  act  of  inquiry,  as  ^rjTrjfjLa  (in  verse  19) 
is  the  object  of  inquiry.  The  meaning  here  is,  "being  in 
doubt  as  to  the  method  of  inquiry  about  such  questions  in  a 
court  of  justice."  (Alexander,  in  loc.)  Compare  verse  9, 
supra.  Festus  improves  the  logic  of  his  speech  at  the  ex- 
pense of  its  historical  exactness.     (Alexander.) 

Vs.  22.  ij3oo).6/^u.  In  verbs  of  wishing,  the  present  tense 
represents  the  result  as  depending  on  the  speaker's  will,  as 
in  Eom.  i.  13 ;  xvi.  19 ;  1  Cor.  xvi.  7 ;  1  Tim.  ii.  8 ;  the  i7nper- 
fect  ivith  av,  "I  could  wish,  but  I  do  not";  the  imperfect 
alone,  "I  could  wish  if  it  were  proper,  or  if  you  have  no  ob- 
jection," where  the  wish  is  actual  and  present,  but  subject  to 
the  will  of  others.     (Rom,  ix.  2,     Alexander,  in  loc.) 

This  may  be  the  general  rule,  but  Acts  xxvii.  29  is  certainly 
an  exception,  and  so  probably  is  Rom.  ix.  2,  The  ordinary 
sense  of  the  imperfect  will  do  here  very  well.  "I  was  wish- 
ing, during  your  discourse  about  Paul,  to  hear  him  myself." 
Compare  Acts  xxvi.  29,  eb^aifxrjv  du,  where  the  optative  has 


Notes  on  the  Acts  op  the  Apostles.  197 

the  sense  which  Alexander  attributes  to  the  imperfect  alone 
without  fw.  But  one  reading  (Tisch)  is  eb^afxr^v,  the  first 
aorist  indicative,  instead  of  the  first  aorist  optative. 


CHAPTEE  XXVI. 

XXXVI.     Paul's  Depence  Bepore  Agrippa.    Interruption 

BY  Festus.     The  Appeal  to  Agkippa.     The  Consulta- 
tion AND  Decision.     (Verses  1-32.) 

And  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Thou  art  permitted  to  speak  for    1 
thyself.     Then  Paul  stretched  forth  his  hand,   and  made  his 
defence. 

I  think  myself  happy,  king  Agrippa,  that  I  am  to  make  my    2 
defence  before  thee  this  day  touching  all  the  things  whereof  I 
am  accused  by  the  Jews :  especially  because  thou  art  expert  in    3 
all  customs  and  questions  which  are  among  the  Jews:  where- 
fore I  beseech  thee  to  hear  me  patiently.     My  manner  of  life    4 
then  from  my  youth  up,  which  was  from  the  beginning  among 
mine  own  nation,  and  at  Jerusalem,  know  all  the  Jews ;  having    5 
knowledge  of  me  from  the  first,  if  they  be  willing  to  testify, 
how  that  aftej'  the  straitest  sect  of  our  religion  1  lived  a  Phari- 
see.    And  now  I  stand  here  to  be  judged  for  the  hope  of  the    6 
promise  made  of  God  unto  our  fathers-,  unto   which   promise    7 
our  twelve  tribes,  earnestly  serving  God  night  and  day,  hope  to 
attain.     And  concerning  this  hope  I  am  accused  by  the  Jews, 

0  king !     Why  is  it  judged  incredible  with  you,  if  God  doth    8 
raise  the  dead '?     I  verily  thought  with  myself,  that  I  ought  to    9 
do  many  things  contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
And  this  I  also  did  in  Jerusalem :  and  I  both  shut  up  many  of  10 
the  saints  in  prisons,  having  received  authority  fi'om  the  chief 
priests,  and  when  they  were  jnat  to  death,  I  gave  my  vote  against 
them.     And  punishing  them  oftentimes  in  all  the  synagogues,  11 

1  strove  to  make  them  blaspheme;  and  being  exceedingly  mad 
against   them,    I   persecuted   them  even    unto   foreign   cities. 
Whereupon  as  I  journeyed  to  Damascus  with  the  authority  and  12 
commission  of  the  chief  priests,  at  midday,  O  king,  I  saw  on  13 
the  way  a  light  fi'om  heaven,  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun, 
shining  around  about  me  and  them  that  journeyed  with  me. 
And  when  we  were  all  fallen  to  the  earth,  I  heard  a  voice  say- 14 
ing  unto  me  in  the  Hebrew  language,  Saul,  Saul,  v/hy  perse- 
cutest  thou  me  ?  it  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  goad. 


198  Miscellanies. 

15  And  I  said,  Who  art  thou,  Lord?     And  the  Lord  said,  I  am 

16  Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest.  But  arise,  and  stand  upon  thy 
feet ;  for  to  this  end  have  I  appeared  unto  thee,  to  appoint  thee 
a  minister  and  a  witness  both  of  the  things  wherein  thou  hast 
seen  me,  and  of  the  things  wherein  I  will  appear  unto  thee; 

17  dehvering  thee  from  the  people,  and  from  the  Gentiles,  unto 

18  whom  I  send  thee,  to  open  their  eyes,  that  they  may  turn  from 
darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that 
they  may  receive  remission  of  sins  and  an  inheritance  among 

19  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  in  me.     Wherefore,  O  king 

20  Agrippa,  I  was  not  disobedient  imto  the  heavenly  vision:  but 
declared  both  to  them  of  Damascus  first,  and  at  Jerusalem,  and 
throughout  all  the  country  of  Judsea,  and  also  to  the  Gentiles, 
that  they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God,  doing  works  worthy 

21  of  repentance.     For  this  cause  the  Jews  seized  me  in  the  tem- 

22  pie,  and  assayed  to  kill  me.  Having  therefore  obtained  the 
help  that  is  from  God,  I  stand  unto  this  day  testifying  both  to 
small   and  great,  saying  nothing   but  what  the  prophets  and 

23  Moses  did  say  should  come ;  how  that  the  Christ  must  suffer, 
and  how  that  he  first  by  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  should 
proclaim  hght  both  to  the  people  and  to  the  Gentiles. 

24  And  as  he  thus  made  his  defence,  Festus  saith  with  a  loud 
voice,  Paul,  thou  art  mad ;  thy  much  learning  doth  turn  thee  to 

25  madness.     But  Paul  saith,  I  am  not  mad,  most  excellent  Fes- 

26  tus ;  but  speak  forth  words  of  truth  and  soberness.  For  the 
king  knoweth  of  these  things,  unto  whom  also  I  speak  freely : 
for  I  am  persuaded  that  none  of  these  things  is  hidden  from 

27  him ;  for  this  hath  not  been  done  in  a  corner.     King  Agrippa, 

28  believest  thou  the  prophets  ?  I  know  that  thou  believest.  And 
Agrippa    said   unto    Paul,    With   but   httle    persuasion    thou 

29  wouldest  fain  make  me  a  Christian.  And  Paul  said,  I  would 
to  God,  that  whether  with  little  or  with  much,  not  thou  only, 
but  also  all  that  hear  me  this  day,  might  become  such  as  I  am, 
except  these  bonds. 

30  And  the  king  rose  up,  and  the  governor,  and  Bernice,  and 

31  they  that  sat  with  them :  and  when  they  had  withdrawn,  they 
spake  one  to  another,  saying.  This  man  doeth  nothing  worthy 

32  of  death  or  of  bonds.  And  Agrippa  said  unto  Festus,  This 
man  might  have  been  set  at  liberty,  if  he  had  not  appealed  unto 
Caesar. 

Vs.  20.  [xeravoceiv,  kTzcarpifEcv,  TZfmaaovraQ.  All  these  in  the 
present  tense,  not  the  aorist,  implying  continued  or  habitual 
acts,  not  acts  done  once  for  all. 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  199 

Vs.  22.  -a&r^zbz.  The  gerundial  adjectives  in  ro^,  like  the 
gerundicils  in  ndus,  and  the  supines  in  tuin,  tu,  have  the  same 
meaning  as  the  infinitive.  They  may  express  both  capahUity 
and  the  result.  Thus  aiptzhz,  an  eligible  man  and  a  man 
elected ;  rzapecafixTO^,  capable  of  being  insidiously  introduced, 
and  in  Gal.  ii.  4,  actually  introduced  and  present.  (See 
Webster's  8.  and  S.  of  New  Testament^  page  21.)  So  here 
■^zadr^zbz.  might  be  rendered  sufferer.  The  question  was 
whether,  according  to  the  Old  Testament  teaching,  the  Christ 
was  to  suffer  or  to  be  a  sufferer. 

Vs.  25,  acoifpoauvr^Q.  A  Pauline  word,  used  (with  its  con- 
jugates) seven  times  in  one  short  chapter.     (Titus  ii.) 

Vs.  29.  vj^auiTjV  dv.  See  on  Acts  xxv.  22,  supra,  ev  dXiyoj 
Calvin  renders,  '' modica  i7i  parte  et  viagna."  Vulgate,  "m 
TTiodico  et  ill  'inagno." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 
XXXVII.    Paul's  Voyage  and  Shipwkeck.    (Verses  1-44.) 

And  when  it  was  determined  that  we  should  sail  for  Italy,  they    1 
delivered  Paul  and  certain  other  prisoners  to  a  centurion  named 
Juhus,  of  the  Augustan  band.      And  embarking  in  a  ship  of    2 
Adramyttium,  which  was  about  to  sail  unto  the  places  on  the  coast 
of  Asia,  we  put  to  sea,  Aristarchus,  a  Macedonian  of  Thessalonica, 
being  with  us.  And  the  next  day  we  touched  at  Sidon :  and  Julius    3 
treated  Paul  kindly,  and  gave  him  leave  to  go  unto  his  friends 
and  refresh  himself.     And  putting  to  sea  from  thence,  we  sailed    4 
under  the  lee  of  Cyprus,   because  the  winds   were    contrar}'. 
And  when  we  had  sailed  across  the  sea  which  is  off  Cilicia  and    5 
Pamphylia,  we  came  to  Myra,  a  city  of  Lycia.     And  there  the    6 
centurion  found  a  ship  of  Alexandria  sailing  for  Italy;  and  he 
put  us  therein.     And  when  we  had  sailed  slowly  many  days,  and    7 
were   come  with  difficulty  over  against  Cnidus,   the  wind  not 
further  sufferiug  us,  we  sailed  under   the  lee  of    Crete,   over 
against  Salmone;  and  with  difficulty  coasting  along  it  we  came    8 
unto  a  certain  place  called  Fair  Havens;  nigh  whereunto  was 
the  city  of  Lasea. 


200  Miscellanies. 

9      And  when  much  time  was  spent,  and  the  voyage  was  now 
dangerous,   because  the  Fast  was  now  already  gone  by,  Paul 

10  admonished  them,  and  said  unto  them.  Sirs,  I  perceive  that  the 
voyage  will  be  with  injury  and  much  loss,  not  only  of  the  lading 

11  and  the  ship,  but  also  of  our  lives.  But  the  centurion  gave 
more  heed  to  the  master  and  to  the  owner  of  the  ship,  than  to 

12  those  things  which  were  spoken  by  Paul.  And  because  the  haven 
was  not  commodious  to  winter  in,  the  more  part  advised  to  put  to 
sea  from  thence,  if  by  any  means  they  could  reach  Phcenix,  and 
winter  there ;  which  is  a  haven  of  Crete,  looking  north-east  and 

13  south-east.  And  when  the  south  wind  blew  softly,  supposing 
that  they  had  obtained  their  purpose,  they  weighed  anchor  and 

14  sailed  along  Crete,  close  in  shore.  But  after  no  long  time  there 
beat  down  from  it  a  tempestuous  wind,  which  is  called  Eura- 

15  quilo!  and  when  the  ship  was  caught,  and  could  not  face  the 

16  wind,  we  gave  way  to  it,  and  were  driven.  And  running  under 
the  lee  of  a  small  island  called  Cauda,  we  were  able,  with  diffi- 

17  culty,  to  secure  the  boat:  and  when  they  had  hoisted  it  up,  they 
used  helps,  under-girding  the  ship ;  and,  fearing  lest  they  should 
be  cast  upon  the  Syrtis,  they  lowered  the  gear,  and  so  were 

18  driven.     And  as  we  laboured  exceedingly  with  the  storm,  the 

19  next  day  they  began  to  throw  the  freight  overboard;  and  the 
third  day  they  cast  out  with  their  own  hands  the  tackling  of  the 

20  ship.  And  when  neither  sun  nor  stars  shone  upon  us  for  many 
days,  and  no  small  tempest  lay  on  us,  all  hope  that  we  should 

21  be  saved  was  now  taken  away.  And  when  they  had  been  long 
without  food,  then  Paul  stood  forth  in  the  midst  of  them,  and 
said,  Sirs,  ye  should  have  hearkened  unto  me,  and  not  have  set 

22  sail  from  Crete,  and  have  gotten  this  injury  and  loss.  And 
now  I  exhort  you  to  be  of  good  cheer:  for  there  shall  be  no  loss 

23  of  life  among  you,  but  only  of  the  ship.  For  there  stood  by 
me  this  night  an  angel  of  the  God  whose  I  am,  whom  also  I 

24  serve,  saying,  Fear  not,  Paul;  thou  must  stand  before  Caesar: 
and  lo,  God  hath  granted  thee  all  them  that  sail  with  thee. 

25  Wherefore,  sirs,  be  of  good  cheer:  for  I  believe  God,  that  it 

26  shall  be  even  so  as  it  hath  been  spoken  unto  me.  Howbeit  we 
must  be  cast  upon  a  certain  island. 

27  But  when  the  fourteenth  night  was  come,  as  we  were  driven  to 
and  fro  in  the  sea  of  Adria,  about  midnight  the  sailors  surmised 

28  that  they  were  drawing  near  to  some  country;  and  they  sounded, 
and  found  twenty  fathoms:  and  after  a  little  space,  they  sounded 

29  again,  and  found  fifteen  fathoms.  And  fearing  lest  haply  we 
should  be  cast  ashore  on  rocky  ground,  they  let  go  four  anchors 

30  from  the  stern,  and  wished  for  the  day.  And  as  the  sailors 
were  seeking  to  flee  out  of  the  ship,  and  had  lowered  the  boat 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  201 

into  the  sea,  under  colour  as  though  they  would  lay  out  anchors 
from  the  I'oreship,  Paul  said  to  the  centurion  and  the  soldiers,  31 
Except  these  abide  in  the  ship,  ye  cannot  be  saved.     Then  the  32 
soldiers  cut  away  the  ropes  of  the  boat,  and  let  her  fall  off. 
And  while  the  day  was  coming  on,  Paul  besought  them  all  to  33 
take  some  food,  saying,  This  day  is  the  fourteenth  day  that  ye 
wait  and  continue  fasting,  having  taken  nothing.     Wherefore  I  34 
beseech  you  to  take  some  food :  for  this  is  for  your  safety :  for 
there  shall  not  a  hair  perish  from  the  head  of  any  of  you.     And  35 
when  he  had  said  this,  and  had  taken  bread,  he  gave  thanks  to 
God  in  the  presence  of  all :  and  he  brake  it,  and  began  to  eat. 
Then  were  they  all  of  good  cheer,  and  themselves  also  took  36 
food.     And  we  were  in  all  in  the  ship  two  hundred  threescore  37 
and  sixteen  souls.      And  when  they  had  eaten  enough,   they  38 
lightened  the  ship,  throwing  out  the  wheat  into  the  sea.     And  39 
when  it  was  day,  they  knew  not  the  land :  but  they  perceived  a 
certain  bay  with  a  beach,  and  they  took  counsel  whether  they 
could  drive  the  ship  upon  it.     And   casting   off  the  anchors,  40 
they  left  them  in  the  sea,  at  the  same  time  loosing  the  bands 
of  the  rudders ;  and  hoisting  up  the  foresail  to  the  wind,  they 
made  for  the  beach.     But  lighting   upon  a  place  where  two  41 
seas  met,  they  ran  the  vessel  aground ;  and  the  foreship  struck 
and  remained  unmoveable,  but  the  stern  began  to  break  up  by 
the  violence  of  the  waves.    And  the  soldiers'  counsel  was  to  kill  42 
the  prisoners,  lest  any  of  them  should  swim  out,  and  escape. 
But  the  centurion,  desiring  to  save  Paul,  stayed  them   from  43 
their   purpose;    and   commanded   that  they  which  could  swim 
should  cast  themselves  overboard,  and  get  first  to  the  land: 
and  the  rest,  some  on  planks,  and  some  on  other  things  from  44 
the  ship.     And  so  it  came  to  pass,  that  they  all  escaped  safe  to 
the  land. 

Vs.  4.  ''  vrreTiXe'jaafxevy  Sailed  under  the  lee  of  Cyprus,  not 
under  the  southern  shore.     The  wind  was  westerly. 

Vs.  10.  Uj3f>eco^,  referring  to  the  violence  of  the  elements; 
^r^fiiaz,  to  the  effect  upon  the  vessel,  etc.  The  construction 
of  oxi  with  the  infinitive  is  irregular,  but  not  unexampled  in 
the  classics.     (See  TroUope's  note,  infra?) 

Vs.  12.  Kara  refers  probably  to  the  direction  toward  which 
and  not  from  which  Libs,  Africus,  west-southwest,  and 
Caucus  or  Corns,  northwest  blew.  The  harbor,  then,  would 
open  towards  the  northeast  and  southeast,  as  Lutro  does. 


202  Miscellanies. 

Vs.  14.  auTTjq.  Referred  variously :  1,  To  TipodeaeioQ  in  last 
verse.  2.  To  nXoiou,  tlie  change  in  the  gender  of  the  pronoun 
being  accounted  for  by  supposing  that  Luke  had  in  his  mind 
vaoz,  as  in  verse  41.  3.  To  the  island,  vYjaoz,  either  in  the  sense 
of  against  it,  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  facts,  as  they 
were  dxYveu  frorn  the  island,  not  upoyi  it;  or  in  that  of  doivn 
from  it,  as  the  preposition  xaxa  sometimes  means.  This  last 
is  the  best  explanation.     (Alexander,  in  loc.) 

Vs.  15.  "  Eo[)oxXi)diov."  Eupaxuhou  in  A.  B. ;  Vulg.,  Euro- 
aquilo.  The  northeast  wind,  which  was  evidently  the  wind 
in  this  case,  from  the  direction  in  which  the  vessel  was  driven. 
Another  form  found  in  manuscript  is  EofKoxXoacov,  loide-waves. 

Vs.  16.  Syrtis  major,  probably  near  Cyrene.  Syrtis  minor 
was  not  so  near  the  hne  of  direction  which  the  ship  actually 
took. 

Vs.  17.  yri/Aaav'tc,  zb  axeuoc:.  "They  lowered  the  gear." 
(Revision  of  1881.) 

Vs.  28.  "dpyoca^y  From  opeyo),  to  extend,  stretch  out,  the 
distance  between  the  hands  when  the  arms  are  stretched, 
i.  e.,  six  feet.  Our  word  "  fathom  "  seems  to  have  had  the  same 
origin.  (See  Richardson's  dictionary.)  Most  measures  of 
length,  in  all  languages  and  ages,  are  taken  from  the  human 
body  (foot,  handbreadth,  span,  ell,  etc.).  Ell  =  whvTj  =  ulna 
=  arm.  Elbow  =  ell-bow  =  flexma  ulnae.  Cubit  =  xuj^iTov, 
from  xoTTzeiv  =  curvare — curvatura  hradiri.  Fathom,  from 
Dutch  vademen,  space  between  the  extended  arms. 

Vs.  34.  ;r/>oc.  The  only  instance  in  which  this  preposition 
occurs  with  a  genitive  in  the  New  Testament,  meaning  con- 
ducive to,  in  favor  of. 

Vs.  40.  Artimone  (Italian),  arthnon  (French)  =  mizzen 
sail.  Compare  "Cargue  artim,''  clew  up  (or  haul  up  by  the 
brails)  the  mizzen  sail.     Mizzen  is  the  after-mast. 

Vs.  41.  dcddXlaaaov.  Blmayns  (compare  Corinthus  himaris 
Mor.) :  either  a  tongue  of  land,  or  a  channel  between  two  seas. 
(Compare  Hellespont.)     The  last  preferred  by  modern  uauti- 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  203 

<?al  interpreters.  Compare  the  Thracian  Bosphorus  (channel 
of  Constantinople)  between  the  Euxine  and  the  Propontus 
(i.  e.,  the  Black  Sea  and  the  Sea  of  Marmora). 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

XXXATill.  The  Shipwrecked  Company  Entertained  in 
Malta.  Incidents  in  Paul's  Life  There.  The  Voy- 
age FROM  Malta  and  Arrival  in  Rome.  Paul's  Inter- 
view WITH  THE  Jews  There,  and  His  Life  for  the 
Next  Two  Years  in  Rome.     (Verses  1-31.) 

And  when  we  were  escaped,  then  we  knew  that  the  island    1 
was  called  Melita.     And  the  barbarians  shewed  us  no  common    2 
kindness :  for  they  kindled  a  fire,  and  received  us  all,  because  of 
the  present  rain,  and  because  of  the  cold.     But  when  Paul  had    3 
gathered  a  bundle  of  sticks,  and  laid  them  on  the  fire,  a  viper 
came  out  by  reason  of  the  heat,  and  fastened  on  his  hand.    And    4 
when  the  barbariaussaw  the  beast  hanging  from  his  hand,  they 
said  one  to  another,  No  doubt  this  man  is  a  murderer,  whom, 
though  he  hath  escaped  from  the  sea,  yet  Justice  hath  not 
suffered  to  live.     Howbeit  he  shook  off  the  beast  into  the  fire,    5 
and  took  no  harm.     But  they  expected  that  he  would  have    6 
swollen,    or  fallen  down  dead  suddenly:    but  when  they  were 
long  in  expectation,  and  beheld  nothing  amiss  come  to  him, 
they  changed  their  minds,  and  said  that  he  was  a  god. 

Now  in  the  neighbourhood  of  that  place  were  lands  belonging    7 
to  the  chief  man  of  the  island,  named  Publius;  who  received  us, 
and  entertained  us  three  days  courteously.     And  it  was  so,  that    8 
the  father  of  Pubhus  lay  sick  of  fever  and  dysentery:   unto 
whom  Paul  entered  in,  and  prayed,  and  laying  his  hands  on 
him  healed  him.     And  when  this  was  done,  the  rest  also  which    9 
had  diseases  in  the  island  came,  and  were   cured:  who  also  10 
honoured  us  with  many  honours ;  and  when  we  sailed,  they  put 
on  board  such  things  as  we  needed. 

And  after  three  months  we  set  sail  in  a  ship  of  Alexandria,  11 
which  had  wintered  in  the  island,  whose  sign  was  The  Twin 
Brothers.  And  touching  at  Syracuse,  we  tarried  there  three  12 
days.  And  from  thence  we  made  a  circuit,  and  arrived  at  Rhe-  13 
gium:  and  after  one  day  a  south  wind  sprang  up,  and  on  the 
second  day  we  came  to  Puteoh :  where  we  found  brethren,  and  14 
were  intreated  to  tarry  with  them  seven  days :  and  so  we  came  to 


204  Miscellanies. 

15  Rome.  And  from  thence  the  brethren,  when  they  heard  of  us, 
came  to  meet  us  as  far  as  The  Market  of  Appius,  and  The  Three 
Taverns:  whom  when  Paul  saw,  he  thanked  God,  and  took 
courage. 

16  And  when  we  entered  into  Rome,  Paul  was  suffered  to  abide 
by  himself  with  the  soldier  that  guarded  him. 

17  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  after  three  days  he  called  together 
those  that  were  the  chief  of  the  Jews :  and  when  they  were  come 
together,  he  said  unto  them,  I,  brethren,  though  I  had  done 
nothing  against  the  people,  or  the  customs  of  our  fathers,  yet 
was  delivered  prisoner  from  Jerusalem  into  the  hands  of  the 

18  Romans :  who,  when  they  had  examined  me,  desired  to  set  me 

19  at  liberty,  because  there  was  no  cause  of  death  in  me.  But 
when  the  Jews  spake  against  it,  I  was  constrained  to  appeal 

20  unto  CiBsar;  not  that  I  had  aught  to  accuse  my  nation  of.  For 
this  cause  therefore  did  I  intreat  you  to  see  and  to  speak  with 
me:  for  because  of  the  hope  of  Israel  I  am  bound  with  this 

21  chain.  And  they  said  unto  him.  We  neither  received  letters 
from  Judsea  concerning  thee,  nor  did  any  of  the  brethren  come 

22  hither  and  report  or  speak  any  harm  of  thee.  But  we  desire  to 
hear  of  thee  what  thou  thinkest:  for  as  concerning  this  sect,  it 
is  known  to  us  that  everywhere  it  is  spoken  against. 

23  And  when  they  had  appointed  him  a  day,  they  came  to  him 
into  his  lodging  in  great  number;  to  whom  he  expounded  the 
matter,  testifying  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  persuading  them 
concerning  Jesus,  both   from  the  law  of  Moses  and  from  the 

24  prophets,  from  morning  till  evening.     And  some  believed  the 

25  things  which  were  spoken,  and  some  disbelieved.  And  when 
they  agreed  not  among  themselves,  thpy  departed,  after  that 
Paul   had   spoken   one  word,  Well  spake  the  Holy  (zhost  by 

26  Isaiah  the  prophet  unto  your  fathers,  saying. 

Go  thou  unto  this  people,  and  say, 

By  hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  in  no  wise  understand; 

And  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  shall  in  no  wise  perceive: 

27  For  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross. 
And  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing. 
And  their  eyes  the}^  have  closed ; 

Lest  haply  they  should  perceive  with  their  eyes, 

And  hear  with  their  ears, 

And  understand  with  their  heart, 

And  should  turn  again. 

And  I  should  heal  them. 

28  Be  it  known  therefore  unto  you,  that  this  salvation  of  God  is 
sent  iioto  the  Gentiles:  they  will  also  hear. 

30      And  he  abode  two  whole  years  in  his  own  hired  dwelling,  and 


Notes  on  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  205 

received  all  that  went  in  unto  him,  preaching  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  teaching  the  things  concerning  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  31 
with  all  boldness,  none  forbidding  him. 

Vs.  2.  The  Punic  inhabitants  of  Malta  were  civilized.  The 
word  ^d()^d(ioc  refers  not  to  civilization,  but  to  language. 
See  1  Cor.  xiv.  11. 

Ys.  6.  Tiiti7Z(taa(^fu.  To  be  inflamed,  not  swollen,  which 
would  be  TTcix-Jzlaa&ac. 

dzorrov,  "out  of  place,"  "amiss."  finpia,  plural  of  ycofnov. 
Compare  y/ona,  of  which  ycopcov  seems  to  be  a  diminutive. 
The  change  here  opposite  to  that  in  Acts  xiv.  11,  13,  20. 
They  were  then  first  for  worshipping,  then  for  killing,  Paul. 
(Alexander.) 

Vs.  13.  deuTspacoc.  Compare  John  xi.  39,  TZTapracoq,  a  man 
of  four  days.  Compare  also  Phil.  iii.  5,  oxrarjjiepoQ  (according 
to  the  received  text,  a  circumcision  of  eight  days).  But  the 
modern  editions  make  7is:pcTonrj  the  dative,  and  then  o'Axar^iizpoci 
would  agree,  like  the  other  adjectives  in  the  sentence,  with 
the  ejLo  of  verse  4,  a  man  of  eight  days,  etc. 

Frjcov.  Ehegium,  Reggio,  chief  town  of  Calabria,  a  pro- 
vince in  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  near  the  southwest  point  of 
Italy,  opposite  Messina. 

FIoTcoXoo^.  Puteoli,  Pozzuoli,  or  Putzzuoli,  seven  miles 
southwest  of  Naples,  once  a  place  of  great  resort  on  account 
of  its  mineral  springs,  from  which,  or  from  their  odor,  it 
derived  its  name. 

Vs.  15.  Appia  Forum,  forty  miles  from  Rome ;  Tres  Tab- 
erna,  thirty  miles,  both  on  the  famous  Appian  road. 

Vs.  19.  o'jy  d»c  ^.  "•  >^.  This  does  not  mean  that  he  had  no 
ground  of  complaint  (see  verses  17,  18),  nor  is  any  emphasis 
to  be  laid  on  edvoo^,  as  if  Paul  meant  that  he  did  not  com- 
plain against  the  whole  nation,  but  only  against  a  part ;  for 
the  opposition  to  him  is  regarded  always  as  the  act  of  the 
nation.  It  means  that  he  brought  no  legal  accusation  ;  he 
was  not  acting  on  the  offensive,  but  purely  on  the  defensive. 


206  Miscellanies. 

For  this  cause,  he  goes  on  to  say,  because  he  was  acting  on 
the  defensive,  he  had  sent  for  them  ;  that  so  far  from  being 
guilty  of  the  offence  charged  upon  him,  he  was  bound  with 
a  chain  for  being  a  true  Jew,  for  holding  the  hope  of  Israel. 
(See  Alexander,  in  loc.) 

Vs.  26.  In  the  process  here  described  we  have  three  agen- 
cies r  1.  The  ministerial  agency  of  the  prophet  (see  the  origi- 
nal in  Isaiah  vi.).  2.  The  judicial  agency  of  God  (see  John 
xii.  40).  3.  The  suicidal  agency  of  the  sinners  themselves. 
(Here  and  Matt.  xiii.  15.  Alexander,  in  loc.)  Compare  the 
history  of  Moses  and  Pharaoh.  Note  the  strong  denial  ex- 
pressed by  the  aorist  subjunctive  with  the  o'j  fir).  (Compare 
Heb.  xiii.  5 ;  Matt.  v.  18  ;  v.  20 ;  Mark  xiv.  25,  et  al.  See 
Handbook  of  Greek  of  New  Testament,  by  W.  S.  Green, 
p.  341.) 

Vs.  31.  dxcoAurcoQ.  This  emphatic  adverb  expresses  exactly 
the  relation  which  the  civil  power  ought  to  sustain  to  the 
church :  "  Hands  off.'"  All  the  patronage  which  the  ministers 
of  religion  need  from  the  state,  and  all  that  they  ought  to 
desire,  is  to  be  let  alone,  not  hindered  in  their  work. 

On  the  distinction  between  xrjpuaaecv  and  ocodaxecv,  see  Dr. 
George  Campbell  on  the  Gospels,  Preliminary  Discourse  6, 
Par.  5,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  228  ff. 


BRIEFS  AND  SERMONS 


ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES, 


207 


BRIEFS  AND  SERMONS 


ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 


ACTS   i.   6-8. 


"When  they  therefore  were  come  together,  they  asked  of  him,  saying, 
Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ?  And  he 
said  unto  them,  It  is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons,  which 
the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power.  But  ye  shall  receive  power,  after 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you :  and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me 
both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  utter- 
most part  of  the  earth." 

I.  Introduction.  Ignorance  of  the  apostles,  notwithstand- 
ing all  the  instructions  of  their  Master  during  his  public 
ministry,  and  after  his  resurrection,  during  the  forty  days. 
These  instructions  concerned  specially  the  kingdom  of  God 
(see  the  Gospels  throughout,  and  this  chapter,  verse  3) ;  and 
yet  they  ask  the  question  of  verse  6.  Their  idle  curiosity  is 
rebuked  by  verse  7 ;  their  ignorance  of  the  nature  and  meth- 
ods of  the  kingdom,  by  verse  8.  A  sjiiritual  kingdom  is  to 
be  established  by  a  testimony.  Victory  is  certain  in  the 
Father's  time,  but  only  after  a  testimony  attended  with  toil 
and  suffering  even  unto  death ;  such  toil  and  suffering  to  be 
effectual  only  by  receiving  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  doctrine,  therefore,  is,  that  power  is  necessary  in  order 
to  make  the  church  a  fit  and  successful  witness  for  Christ. 
Consider  the  doctrine,  {ci),  In  application  to  the  ministry; 
(5),  In  application  to  all  believers. 

II.  (a).  In   application   to   ministers.     (1),  Power  neces- 
14  209 


210  Miscellanies. 

sary  in  order  to  apprehend  the  truth  in  its  glory  and  pre- 
ciousness.  Illustrate  by  the  case  of  the  apostles  before  and 
after  the  power  was  received.  (Compare  the  text  with  Acts 
iii.  19-26.)  The  truth  to  be  apprehended  in  its  spiritual 
glory,  so  as  to  excite  the  spirit  of  praise.  (Acts  ii.  4-11.) 
Compare  the  glory  of  this  world  with  the  glory  of  Christ  in 
this  respect ;  the  apostasy  of  the  church  quoad  hoc  (Rome). 
No  man  can  be  an  effectual  witness  who  has  not  a  spirit  of 
thankfulness  for  the  truth.  Note  the  apologetic  tone  of  the 
times.  See  Colossians  ii.  7.  This  gives  the  7ra[)[rr^ma  so  often 
mentioned  in  the  Acts — the  tongue  of  fire.  (Compare  Acts 
xiv.  1.)  (2),  Power  necessary  to  make  the  testimony  effectual 
to  the  salvation  of  men.  Illustrate  the  nature  of  this  power 
by  the  miracles.     (Compare  Acts  ii.  37  ff\  ;  1  Thess.  i.  5,  etc.) 

III.  iji),  In  (ipplication  to  all  Christians.  Power  to  adorn 
the  doctrine  of  the  Saviour  in  all  things:  (1),  In  testifying 
for  the  truth;  (2),  In  the  performance  of  duties;  (3),  In  the 
enduring  of  trials  and  afflictions.     (See  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  10.) 

IV.  Warning  against  discouragement — against  a  sort  of 
fatalism  springing  from  an  abuse  of  the  doctrine  of  grace. 
(See  Monod's  sermon  on  "Fatalism.") 


ACTS   i.   8.^ 


' '  But  ye  shall  receive  power,  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon 
you  ;  and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me  both  in  Jerusalem  and  in  all  Judea, 
and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth." 

The  question,  why  we  receive  the  Scriptures  as  the  word 
of  God,  divides  itself  into  three  questions,  according  as  we 
contemplate  the  ground  or  reason  for  lohich,  the  instrumen- 
tahty  through  which,  and  the  efficient  agency  htj  which  we 
beheve  them  to  be  the  word  of  God.  The  first  of  these  ques- 
tions was  discussed  in  the  sermon  on  1  Thess.  ii.  13,  in  which 


1  Prepared  in  1853. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  211 

it  was  shown  that  the  Bible  is  its  own  witness,  and,  "is, 
therefore,  to  be  received,  because  it  is  the  word  of  God." 
Kecapituiate  briefly  the  leading  points  in  that  sermon.'  We 
come  now  to  consider  the  second  point  above  stated,  the  in- 
strumentality through  which  faith  in  the  divine  original  of 
the  Scriptures  is  produced,  which  is  the  "testimony  of  the 
church."  "  We  may  be  moved  and  induced  by  the  testimony 
of  the  church  to  an  high  and  reverent  esteem  for  the  Holy 
Scripture."  (Confession  of  Faith,  chapter  I.,  section  5,  at 
the  beginning.) 

I.  If  God's  method  of  instructing  men  for  their  salvation  is 
by  an  external  and  written  revelation,  as  has  been  before 
proved  (see  sermon  on  Luke  i.  1-4),  then  there  must  be  some 
means  employed  to  bring  this  revelation  in  contact  with 
their  minds,  to  present  and  recommend  it  to  them  as  the 
word  of  God.  This  instrumentality  is  that  of  the  church, 
and  in  serving  this  purpose  its  office  is  manifold :  as,  l^^!.  To 
be  the  guardian  and  trustee  of  the  living  oracles.  (Bom.  iii. 
2.)  %\d,  To  be  the  index  to  point  out  the  Scripture  and  lead 
men  to  it.  (Isaiah  xxx.  21.)  3rr7,  To  be  the  champion  to 
vindicate  and  defend  it,  to  separate  the  spurious  from  the 
genuine,  the  precious  from  the  vile.  (1  Tim.  iii.  16.)  Uh, 
To  be  the  herald  to  proclaim  and  propose  it.  (2  Cor.  v.  19 ; 
Rom.  x.  16.)  f)th.  To  be  an  interpreter  (not  authoritative) 
to  examine  and  unfold  its  meaning.  (See  Turretin,  L.  2,, 
Q.  6,  P.  xii.) 

II.  The  witness  of  the  Jewish  church.  (Isaiah  xliii.  10;; 
xliv.  12,  etc.) 

III.  The  witness  of  the  Christian  church.  (See  the  text.) 
The  main  channel  through  which  the  testimony  of  the  church 
is  conveyed  is  the  7ninistry.  (Eph.  iv.  11-15.)  But  the  tes- 
timony of  its  private  members,  in  their  several  relations,  is 
included,  particularly  ^arewils.  (See  John  iv.  39-42;  2  Tim. 
v.  5;  iii.  15.) 

'  This  sermon  is  fou>  d  further  on  in  this  book.     (See  pp.  262  ff.) 


212  Miscellanies, 

IV.  Notice  more  particularly  the  nature  and  design  of  this 
testimony. 

First.  Its  nature :  (1),  Testimony  concerning  the  genuine- 
ness and  authenticity  of  the  writings  of  the  New  Testament, 
like  the  historical  proof  of  any  other  writings  whatsoever. 
(2),  The  testimony  of  Christians  as  to  the  effect  of  the  Scrip- 
tures upon  their  own  hearts  and  consciences.  (See  the  last 
lecture  on  1  Thess.  ii.  13.)  They  testify  that  the  Bible  has 
been  its  own  witness  to  them  in  effectually  loorking  in  them. 
Its  adaptation  to  a  sense  of  guilt,  a  sense  of  pollution,  a 
sense  of  misery,  etc.  Now,  show  that  their  testimony  is  of 
weight  upon  these  points,  because  they  have  generally  pos- 
sessed the  elements  of  competency  and  credibility,  which  are 
required  in  witnesses.  Knowledge  of  these  effects  in  con- 
sciousness show,  in  passing,  the  unreasonableness  of  charg- 
ing them  with  delusion  in  reference  to  such  matters;  it  is 
like  a  blind  man  charging  men  with  eyes  with  hallucination 
when  they  speak  of  the  brilliant  colors  of  the  natural  uni- 
verse) ;  no  interest  to  tell  a  'falsehood  (this  is  particularly 
true  of  the  early  Christians,  who  professed  these  things  in  the 
face  of  tortures  and  death) ;  moral  character  (the  church,  as 
much  wickedness  as  there  is  in  it,  is  still  good  as  com- 
pared with  the  world) ;  the  change  produced,  sometimes  so 
wonderful  as  to  be  perceived  even  by  the  world.  The  testi- 
mony of  such  a  body,  exhibiting  the  moulding  influence  of 
the  writings  of  which  they  are  eminently  the  guardians  and 
trustees,  and  exercising  a  beneficent  influence  upon  the  civili- 
zation and  moral  progress  of  mankind,  ought  to  create  a 
"high  and  reverent  esteem  for  Holy  Scripture."  Farther 
than  this  it  cannot  go,  and  this  leads  us  to  notice,  second, 
the  design  of  this  testimony:  (1),  Not  to  constitute  the 
ground  or  reason  of  receiving  the  Scriptures  as  the  word  of 
God.  (See  last  lecture  and  Confession  of  Faith,  chapter  I., 
section  4.)  Faith,  divine  and  infallible,  must  rest  upon  a 
divine  and  infallible  foundation,  and  such  there  is  none  but 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  213 

the  testimony  of  God.  (2),  But  to  present  and  recommend 
the  word  to  the  consideration  of  mankind;  to  bring  it  into 
contact  with  their  minds,  that  its  own  evidence  may  be  per- 
ceived. The  chnrch  is  not  the  light,  but  the  candlestick  ;  not 
the  burning,  brilhant  torch  of  truth,  but  the  hand  that  bears  it 
aloft,  that  it  may  shed  its  beams  upon  the  deep  and  desperate 
darkness  of  the  workl.  Ilhistrate  by  the  relation  of  John  the 
Baptist  to  the  incarnate  ^Yord  (John  i.,  passim);  by  the  his- 
tory of  the  disciples  in  the  last  part  of  that  same  chapter; 
by  the  history  of  the  Samaritan  woman  in  the  fourth  chapter  of 
the  same  Gospel,  particularly  verses  41,  42.  It  is  the  constant 
testimony  of  the  church,  by  its  ministry,  and  ordinances,  and 
private  members,  which  keeps  the  attention  of  men  alive  to 
the  Bible,  and  compels  them  to  examine  and  see  for  them- 
selves. 

V.  The  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Kome,  which  makes  the 
testimony  of  the  church  the  formal  ground  of  receiving  the 
Scriptures  as  the  word  of  God. 

First.  The  competency  of  the  witness.  The  witness  is 
not  competent,  because  it  has  not  the  means  of  knowing  the 
fact  to  which  it  testifies.  The  Church  of  Rome  is  no  more 
competent  to  testify  concerning  the  divine  original  of  the 
Scriptures  than  a  blind  man  is  to  testify  about  colors,  or  a 
deaf  man  to  testify  about  sounds.  If  asked  for  their  author- 
ity to  testify,  they  refer  to  the  Scriptures.  I  will  not  stop 
now  to  consider  the  passages  upon  which  they  rely  for  this 
authority.  These  will  come  up  for  consideration  on  another 
occasion.  The  simple  answer  to  them  all,  when  quoted  for 
this  purpose,  is  that  the  church  reasons  in  a  circle,  proving 
the  authority  of  the  church  by  the  Scriptures,  and  the  divine 
authority  of  the  Scriptures  by  the  church.  Notice  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  Church  of  Rome  endeavors  to  evade  the 
force  of  this  objection  (see  Wiseman's  Lecture  III.),  that  we 
are  satisfied,  first,  historically,  or  believe  with  a  historic  faith 
that  Christ  had  a  diviiie  comninission  as  a  teacher  from  God, 


214  Miscellanies. 

and  consequently  that  whatever  he  taught  was  true ;  but  he 
taught  that  a  commission  was  given  to  the  church  to  pro- 
nounce authoritatively  upon  the  will  of  God ;  therefore,  the 
church  has  such  a  commission ;  its  dictum  is  the  divine  word. 
It  pronounces  that  history  of  Christ  which  we  before  believed 
with  a  natural  faith  to  be  the  word  of  God,  and  then  our  faith 
becomes  divine.  Now,  (1),  In  the  first  place,  faith,  according 
to  this  view,  is  made  to  rest  upon  private  judgment.  (2), 
The  faith  upon  which  a  divine  and  supernatural  faith  is  made 
to  rest  is  a  natural  and  human  faith,  which  is  inconsistent 
with  the  doctrine  of  that  church  which  recognizes,  equally 
with  Protestants,  the  voice  of  God  as  the  only  foundation  of 
saving  faith.  (3),  It  is  inconsistent  with  the  argument  which 
Wiseman  himself,  in  these  very  lectures,  employs  to  demon- 
strate the  necessity  of  some  visible  tribunal  to  decide  this 
question,  to-wit :  the  difficulty,  and  (to  the  mass)  the  inacces- 
sibility of  the  historical  evidence,  for  this  is  the  evidence  at 
last  on  which  he  insists  our  faith  in  the  church  must  rest. 

Second.  The  credibility  of  the  witness.  See  the  elements 
of  credibility  on  pages  212  and  213  above,  and  show  that  none 
of  them  belong  to  the  Church  of  Rome.  No  evidence  of  the 
"  effectual  working  "  of  the  principles  of  the  Bible  in  the  lives  of 
priests  and  people  of  that  church ;  the  strongest  inducements 
to  falsehood,  the  great  master-lusts  of  avarice  and  ambition; 
the  character  of  that  church  such  as  to  bring  discredit  even 
upon  the  truth  it  does  teach.  In  addition  to  this,  it  is  a  pre- 
varicating witness,  and  contradicts  itself.  It  makes  the  Apoc- 
rypha and  tradition  the  word  of  God,  as  well  as  the  Scrip- 
ture of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  Now,  these  contradict 
one  another,  and,  therefore,  either  the  Church  of  Rome  or 
God  has  fallen  into  contradiction.  If  we  believe  the  church, 
then  we  cannot  believe  God ;  if  we  believe  God,  we  cannot 
believe  the  church. 

Third.  The  difiiculty  which  the  papists  themselves  have 
in  determining  what  the  authoritative  tribunal  is,  or  in  other 


Briefs  and  Sehmons  on  the  Acts.  215 

words,  through  what  organ  the  church  gives  its  testimony. 
Practically,  the  faith  of  every  papist  rests  upon  the  word  of 
his  father  confessor;  he  believes  that  the  church  believes 
whatever  his  father  confessor  believes  that  she  believes. 

VI.  The  terrible  wickedness  of  the  Church  of  Rome  in 
saying  that  the  word  of  God  cannot  be  believed  until  she  has 
endorsed  it.  Their  distinction  quoad  se  and  quoad  nos 
amounts  to  nothing  in  practice.  The  question  is  about  the 
ground  of  faith  to  tts.  How  strikingly  does  the  apostate  com- 
munion fulfil  2  Thess.  ii.  4,  and  verse  8  shall  be  fulfilled  in 
them. 

ACTS    ii.    4.1 
Sign  of  the  Gift  of  Tongues. 

I.  Introduction.     Wonderful  character  of  the  scene. 

{a),  Contrast  with  the  plain  of  Shinar  twenty -five  centuries 
before.  Dwell  upon  the  features  of  the  contrast,  specially 
one  tongue  in  the  first  case,  many  tongues  in  the  other. 
The  praise  of  men  in  the  one  case,  the  praise  of  God  in  the 
other. 

(J),  Contrast  with  the  scene  on  Sinai  at  the  first  Pentecost, 
fifteen  centuries  before.  God  speaking  to  man  in  the  fiery 
law  amidst  the  thunders,  lightnings,  and  tempest ;  here  7nen 
speaking  to  God  in  a  tongue  of  fire,  showing  foi-th  his  praise. 
His  magnificent  works.  Surely  such  a  scene  must  have  a 
special  significance.     What  is  it?     Answer. 

II.  Significance  of  the  miracle. 

(a),  Was  a  miracle  and  that  a  great  one ;  none  greater. 

(J),  Not  designed  to  attest  the  presence  of  God  merely; 
analogy  of  the  miracles  generally ;  revelations  of  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

(c).  Not  designed  for  preaching.     "He  that  speaketh  in  a 
tongue  speaketh  not  to  men,  but  to  God." 
>  Prepared  in  1876. 


216  Miscellanies. 

{d),  A  sign  of  the  nature  and  end  of  the  work  of  the  Holy- 
Ghost,  the  sanctification  of  man  for  the  praise  of  God, 

(1),  The  tongue  the  glory  of  the  human  frame,  and  most 
adequate  expression  of  the  rational  nature. 

(2),'  The  common  use  of  the  tongue.  James  iii. :  "  Set  on 
fire  of  hell,"  etc. ;  the  organ  of  a  heart  set  on  fire  of  hell. 

(3),  The  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  purify  the  heart  and 
so  the  tongue. 

III.  hnprovement.  (1),  To  all  the  people.  (2),  To  minis- 
ters of  the  word.  See  Isaiah  vi. :  The  spirit  of  praise  the 
result  of  the  joy  of  God's  salvation.  Luther  in  his  ceU. 
Luther  in  Wittenberg  pulpit. 


ACTS    ii.    4.^ 


"And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak 
with  other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance." 

I.  Of  all  the  passovers  which  were  ever  celebrated,  the 
most  illustrious  were  the  first  and  the  last;  but  the  last, 
which  was  observed  before  the  shadow  gave  way  to  the  sub- 
stance, was  more  illustrious  than  the  first.  The  Lamb  of 
God  was  then  slain,  and  a  redemption  accomplished,  not 
from  political  slavery,  but  from  the  far  sorer  tyranny  of  the 
devil.  At  the  time  of  this  passover  the  firstfruits  which 
were  offered  unto  God  were  the  "corn  of  wheat  which  fell 
into  the  ground  and  died,  in  order  that  it  might  bring  forth 
fruit." 

Of  all  the  Pentecosts,  the  first  and  last  were  also  the  most 
distinguished.  At  the  period  of  the  first  (although  not  yet 
ordained  by  statute)  the  "fiery  law"  was  given  to  the 
Hebrews  by  the  mediation  of  Moses.  God  spoke  to  his 
people  in  tones  which  made  them  tremble.  At  the  period 
of  the  last  the  gospel  dispensation  began,  and  God's  people 

'  Prepared  in  1868. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  217 

spoke  to  khn  in  rapturous  praise  for  his  wonderful  works 
with  tongues  of  fire.  In  the  old  Pentecosts  loaves  of  bread 
were  offered  unto  God ;  in  the  last,  redeemed  souls,  the  har- 
vest from  that  corn  of  wheat  which  died  at  the  passover. 
Men  were  offered  to  him,  anointed  with  the  oil  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  It  is  this  offering  which  is  recorded  here  in  the  con- 
text. The  church,  then,  has  passed  from  the  communion 
described  in  Hebrews  xii.  18-21  to  that  described  in  He- 
brews xii.  22-24. 

II.  The  most  striking  manifestation  of  this  change,  and  of 
the  power  and  faithfulness  of  the  church's  risen  Lord,  was 
the  "gift  of  tongues."  "And  they  were  all  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  with  other  tongues,  as  the 
Spirit  gave  them  utterance."  Why  did  the  fulfilment  of  the 
great  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost  take  this  form  ? 

1.  I  answer,  not  because  the  apostles  needed  such  a  gift 
for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  There  is  no  mention  here 
of  their  preaching  to  men,  but  of  their  declaring  "the  won- 
derful things  of  God."  It  seems  to  have  been  rather  a 
speaking  to  God  in  praise,  and  Paul  tells  us  in  1  Cor.  xiv.  2 
that  "he  who  speaketh  in  a  tongue  speaketh  not  unto  men, 
but  unto  God."  And  the  tongues  in  which  the  apostles 
preached  were  the  Greek  and  the  vernacular  tongue  of  Pal- 
estine.    Besides,  it  was  not  confined  to  preachers. 

2.  The  gift  of  tongues  was  a  "^/^w,"  as  all  other  miracles 
were,  and  as  such  was  not  only  a  credential,  but  a  revelation 
or  illustration  of  truth.  It  was  designed  to  teach  something, 
and  something  beside  the  fact  of  the  presence  and  the  might 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  What  was  this  ?  I  answer,  that  it  was 
designed  to  teach  that  the  great  purpose  of  the  priceless 
gift  of  the  Spirit  was  the  sanctification,  the  purification,  of 
men  in  order  to  their  consecration  to  the  work  of  praising 
God,  of  showing  forth  "his  wonderful  things,"  his  name,, 
character  and  works. 


218  Miscellanies. 

(a),  Hence,  the  symbol  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  a  tongue. 
The  tongue  is  the  glory  of  the  human  frame.  (Psalm  xvi.  9 ; 
XXX.  12 ;  Ivii.  8 ;  cviii.  1,  and  compare  Acts  ii.  26  with  Psalm 
xvi.)  It  is  the  glory  of  the  frame,  because  the  organ  of 
articulate  speech,  and,  therefore,  the  sign  and  representative 
of  man's  distinctive  glory  among  animals,  the  possession  of 
a  nature  which  renders  him  capable  of  knowing,  loving,  and 
praising  God.  For  the  potency  of  the  tongue,  see  James 
iii.  2,  6. 

(b),  It  is  a  tongue  of  Jlre.  Because  in  man  a  si?i?ier,  the 
tongue  needs  to  be  pui'ified.  Note  how  the  sinfulness  of 
man  is  described  in  Scripture  by  the  organs  of  speech.  (See 
Rom.  iii.  13,  14;  James  iii.  2-12.)  "The  tongue  is  a  fire," 
says  James.  It  must  set  on  fire  the  whole  "course  of 
nature."  But  the  tongue  of  sinful  man  is  "set  on  fire  of 
helV ;  and  if  it  is  to  be  consecrated  again  to  the  use  for 
which  the  Creator  designed  it,  if  it  is  to  cease  "  cursing  men," 
and  to  be  devoted  to  "blessing  God,"  it  must  be  set  on  fire 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  must  be  jnirified.  (See  Isa.  vi.  5-7.) 
When  this  is  perfectly  done  the  man  is  perfect  (James  iii.  2), 
and  no  work  remains  but  praise. 

III.  Exhortation  to  theological  students:  (1),  To  seek  the 
purification  of  their  hearts  hj  the  fire  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  work  severe,  by  fire.  (2),  Then  they  will  speak  with 
tongues  of  fire.  "The  preparations  of  the  heart  in  man,  and 
the  answer  of  the  tongue,  is  from  the  Lord."  (Prov.  xvi.  1.) 
(3),  Preaching  a  form  of  worship  (see  Isa.  vi.),  and  hence 
unless  the  heart  is  pure,  unless  the  truth  is  the  personal  pos- 
session of  the  preacher,  his  preaching  is  a  mockery.  They 
must  not  only  tell  men  how  the  truth  ought  to  make  them 
feel  and  act,  but  must  be  an  example  themselves  of  the  im- 
pressions and  impulses  and  purposes  which  the  truth  under 
the  Holy  Ghost  produces. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  219 

ACTS   ii.   21. 

"And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  saved." 

I.  Introduction.  Joel  quoted  to  explain  the  scene  on 
Pentecost.  The  last  part  of  the  quotation  used  to  introduce 
the  twenty-first  verse  in  connection  with  the  office  of  Jesus 
as  the  Saviour. 

Connection  between  great  revolutions  and  the  desire  of 
salvation.  Great  power,  weakness  of  man.  Great  judg- 
ments upon  sr?i?iers  ;  great  concern  and  anxiety  on  the  part 
of  sinners.  "  If  these  things  be  done  in  a  green  tree,  what 
shall  be  done  in  the  dry?"  If  these  things  fall  upon  sinners 
whose  cup  of  iniquity  is  ?iot  full,  what  judgments  shall  befall 
those  whose  cup  is  full?  Meantime,  while  the  cup  is  filling 
and  the  judgment  is  impending,  the  proclamation  goes  forth : 
"Whosoever  calleth  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
saved." 

(a),  A  felt  need  of  salvation.  The  whole  will  not  send 
for  a  physician,  nor  those  who  think  themselves  whole. 
Salvation — w^hat?  Ayiswe?' :  from  sin — its  penal  doom,  its 
pollution.  Pardon  and  holiness ;  a  title  to  eternal  life  and 
fitness  for  it. 

{h),  A  conviction  of  the  power  and  mercy  of  the  Lord 
(Christ)  founded  upon:  (1),  The  name  of  the  Lord,  which  is 
a  revelation  of  his  character  and  of  his  relations  to  us.  (2), 
The  proof  of  his  ability  and  willingness  to  save.  (See  vs. 
22-36.)  His  miracles,  resurrection,  ascension  into  heaven, 
glorious  exaltation,  actual  exercise  of  his  power  to  save. 
(Verse  4.) 

(c),  An  actual  reliance  npon  this  power  and  mercy,  ex- 
pressed in  a  calling  upon  him.  Cannot  call  upon  him  with- 
out faith.     (Ptom.  x.  12-14.) 

III.  Universality  of  the  declaration — whosoever ! 

IV.  Improvement,  Easy  to  be  saved.  If  any  one  fails  of 
salvatioUj  his  own  fault. 


220  Miscellanies. 

ACTS    ii.    39.^ 
The  Relation  to  the  Church  of  Her  Baptized  Children. 

"For  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are 
afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call." 

I.  Exposition.  (1),  The  promise  of  tlie  Spirit  (verse  38) 
and  the  prophecy  of  Joel  quoted  by  the  apostle  to  explain 
the  scene  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  (2),  This  promise  included 
in  the  great  promise  made  to  Abraham.  (Gal.  iii.  14.)  The 
prophets  couple  the  out-pouring  of  the  Spirit  with  the  advent 
of  the  Messiah,  Abraham's  seed.  (See  Isaiah  lix.  19-21. 
Compare  Isaiah  xxxii.  1,  15 ;  xliv.  3,  4.) 

(2),  The  persons  to  whom  it  is  given  : 

(a),  To  "you,"  the  Jews  whom  the  apostle  was  addressing 
as  representing  the  contemporaneous  adult  generation. 

(J),  To  "your  children" — not  "posterity"  in  the  common 
acceptation,  as  implying  merely  a  continuance  of  the  promise. 
The  Jews  would  not  understand  it  thus.  (Compare  Joshua 
viii.  35,  where  we  have  almost  the  same  classification  as  in 
the  text,  "the  congregation  of  Israel,"  "the  little  ones"  and 
the  "strangers."  See  also  Deut.  xxix.  10-15;  xxxi.  12,  13; 
Ezra  X.  1.)  It  is  the  contemporary  generation  the  apostle  is 
addressing,  and  the  Jews  would  naturally  understand  him  as 
meaning  that  their  children,  the  "little  ones"  who  were  grow- 
ing up,  were  interested  in  the  covenant  of  Abraham. 

(c^),  "Those  who  are  afar  off" — the  Gentiles.  (See  Eph. 
ii.  17.) 

{d).  The  connection  between  this  mention  of  the  promise 
and  the  command  to  repent  and  be  baptized  in  the  preceding 
verses:  "For  the  promise,"  etc.  Baptism  is  here  treated  as 
having  the  same  relation  to  the  promise  as  circumcision 
hitherto  had;  and  this  implies  that  no  fundamental  or  or- 
ganic change  was  about  to  take  place  in  the  church  as  it  was 

'  Preached  in  Bethlehem  Church  by  appointment  of  Presbytery,  April 
23,  1875. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  221 

passinor  from  its  Jewish  to  its  Cliristian  form,  much  less  that 
the  old  church  had  ceased  to  exist  and  a  uew  one  was  about 
to  begin.  The  apostle  proceeds  on  the  supposition  that  the 
Abrahamic  covenant  continues  in  full  force,  that  as  it  had 
not  been  repealed  or  superseded  by  the  Sinaitic  covenant,  so 
it  was  not  repealed  or  superseded  by  the  Christian  dispensa- 
tion. He  takes  the  same  fact  for  granted  in  his  discourse  in 
the  next  chapter  (verses  22-26),  and  Paul  argues  the  same 
point  in  Gal.  iii.  and  Rom.  xi.     Hence, 

II.  We  have  three  classes  of  persons  under  this  dispensa- 
tion of  the  promise  who  are  interested  in  it : 

(a).  Those  who  make  a  profession  of  having  received  it — 
adult  members  of  the  church. 

(Jj),  The  children  of  these  professed  believers  who  are 
within  the  covenant  and  have  received  its  seal,  and  are  nigh 
to  God. 

('j),  Those  who  are  still  afar  off  in  the  world,  outside  of  the 
visible  church  in  name  and  in  fact. 

III.  It  is  only  in  reference  to  the  second  class  that  any 
difficulty  has  been  made  by  any  part  of  the  Christian  church. 
I  shall  make  no  argument  against  the  Baptists  now.  Accord- 
ing to  the  exposition  that  has  been  given,  it  is  plain  that  we 
stand  on  the  defensive.  The  burden  of  proof  lies  on  them, 
not  on  us.  They  are  bound  to  show  that  the  children  of  be- 
lievers have  been  deprived  of  their  privileges,  enjoyed  for 
two  thousand  years,  either  by  some  express  statute,  or  by 
something  in  the  nature  and  genius  of  the  new  dispensation. 
I  have  alluded  to  the  identity  of  the  church  under  the  two 
dispensations,  not  so  much  to  prove  that  the  children  of  be- 
lievers are  members  of  the  church  (we  take  this  for  granted), 
as  for  the  purpose  of  showing  what  their  relation  to  the 
church  is,  or,  in  other  words,  in  what  sense  or  to  what  extent 
they  are  members,  and  hence  proceed  to  observe, 

IV.  That  their  relation  to  the  church  must  be  essentially 
the  same  now  as  it  has  been  ever  since  the  establishment  of 


222  Miscellanies. 

the  covenant  with  Abraham.  Now  against  this  statement 
there  is  one  prejudice  even  amongst  ourselves  which  needs 
to  be  removed  before  stating  precisely  what  that  relation  is. 

This  prejudice  is,  that  the  church  under  the  law  of  Moses 
was  an  external,  carnal,  legal  church,  while  the  church  under 
the  gospel  is  an  internal,  spiritual,  evangelical  church,  and 
therefore  that  the  relation  of  children  to  the  covenant  under 
the  law  was  correspondingly  external,  carnal  and  legal,  and 
under  the  gospel  correspondingly  internal,  spiritual  and 
evangelical.     In  reference  to  this  I  observe, 

(a),  By  way  of  concession,  that  there  is  clearer  light  under 
the  gospel — the  revelation  is  fuller,  and  the  measure  of  illu- 
mination by  the  Spirit  larger,  so  that  it  is  a  better  dispensa- 
tion than  the  old. 

(h),  The  church  under  the  law  was  in  a  state  of  childhood 
as  compared  with  the  church  under  the  gospel.  This  -is 
Paul's  own  representation  of  the  matter.  (Gal.  iv.  2).  The 
Jewish  church  had  the  privilege  of  adoption  (Eom.  ix.  4; 
Exod.  iv.  22;  Dent.  xiv.  1 ;  Jer.  xxxi.  9-20;  Hosea  xi.  1),  but 
the  Jews  were  sons  under  age  and  therefore  requiring  more 
of  a  legal  discipline.  Illustrate  by  the  disciphne  of  a  family 
now.  The  children,  though  children  and  not  slaves,  are  still 
sinners,  and  need  to  have  their  evil  propensities  restrained. 
This  illustration  of  the  apostle  makes  all  plain. 

(c),  After  all  concessions  have  been  made,  however,  it  re- 
mains true  that  the  church  was  essentially  the  same  then  as 
noiv,  the  same  as  the  boy  and  man  are  the  same.  Show  this 
in  reference,  (1),  To  the  great  ends  of  pardon  and  holiness ; 
(2),  To  the  end  of  witness-bearing  for  God.  Illustrate  fur- 
ther by  the  eminent  examples  of  holiness  under  the  law: 
Abraham,  Moses,  Joshua,  Samuel,  David,  etc.  The  Psalms 
of  David,  which  are  even  now  the  chosen  vehicles  of  the  ex- 
perience of  the  most  advanced  believers.  The  end  of  cir- 
cumcision and  the  relations  of  the  circumcised  indicated  in 
Gen.  xviii.  18,  19. 


Briefs  and  SeRiMONs  on  the  Acts.  223 

V.  The  relation  of  baptized  children,  then,  being  the  same 
as  that  of  the  circumcised,  is  simply  that  of  "  heii^s  apparent " 
of  the  kingdom,  with  special  promises,  special  advantages, 
special  obligations  as  dedicated  to  God.  (Compare  relations 
of  minors  to  the  state.)  Subject  to  the  gover'nrnent  of  the 
church,  but  not  partakers  of  its  franchises.  In  the  church  by 
baptism,  but  of  the  world  by  temper  and  disposition.  The 
efforts  of  the  church,  as  to  its  members  in  the  full  sense,  are 
directed  to  their  growth  in  grace  ;  its  efforts  as  to  its  bap- 
tized children  are  directed  to  their  regeneration  and  conver- 
sion. Notice  some  errors:  (a).  That  of  baptismal  regenera- 
tion, {h),  That  of  Bushuell  ("Christian  Nurture"),  Pelagi- 
anism.  {c),  That  of  T.  J.  K.  (in  Central  Preshyterian),  that 
they  are  to  be  regarded  and  treated  as  regenerate,  etc.,  etc. 


ACTS   iii.    2  5,   2 6.1 

"Te  are  the  children  of  the  prophets,  and  of  the  covenant  which  God 
made  with  our  fathers,  saying  unto  Abraham,  And  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the 
kindreds  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  Unto  you  first  God,  having  raised  up  his 
Son  Jesus,  sent  him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  every  one  of  you  from 
his  iniquities." 

The  main  topic  of  this  discourse  of  Peter,  the  advent  of 
the  Messiah,  Jesus,  in  fulfilment  of  the  promise  made  to 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  that  in  their  seed  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  should  be  blessed.  This  promise  contained,  in 
its  full  extent,  the  salvation  of  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  of  the 
Jews ;  but  of  this  aspect  of  it  Peter  was  himself,  at  this  time, 
ignorant,  as  appears  afterwards  in  the  history.  The  points 
made  in  the  text  are  these:  (1),  That  the  Jews,  that  genera- 
tion of  them  which  he  was  then  addressing,  had  a  peculiar 
interest  in  the  promise,  a  hereditary  interest  as  "the  sons 
of  the  prophets"  and  "the  children  of  the  covenant  which 
God  made  with  their  fathers."     (2),  That,  therefore,  the  sal- 

'  Preached  in  the  Central  Church,  Baltimore,  September  12,  1868. 


224  Miscellanies. 

Yation  included  in  the  promise  belonged  primarily  to  them, 
and  that  they  were  entitled  to  have  it  offered  to  them  first. 
"Unto  you  first"  etc.;  "To  the  Jew  first'' ;  this  is  the  teach- 
ing of  all  the  apostles.  (3),  That  whatever  their  prior  claims 
might  be  as  the  children  of  the  covenant,  and  bearing  in  their 
flesh  its  sign  and  seal,  all  would  avail  nothing  without  per- 
sonal repentance  and  conversion — "in  turning  every  one  of 
you  from  his  iniquities";  in  other  words,  that  as,  in  every 
case,  privileges  involve  peculiar  obligations;  that  as  they 
were,  before  all  mankind,  entitled  to  the  offer  of  Jesus  and 
his  salvation,  so,  before  all  mankind,  they  were  bound  to 
accept  him. 

Now,  all  these  principles  apply,  in  all  their  force,  to  the 
children  of  believers  in  the  Christian  church. 

I.  While  the  gospel  is  preached,  and  Jesus  is  offered  unto 
all  men,  "  to  every  creature,"  he  is  offered  in  a  special  man- 
ner to  the  children  of  believers,  because  they  are  in  covenant 
with  God,  and  are  members  of  his  visible  church. 

(1),  Ever  since  society  began  to  exist,  it  existed  in  fami- 
lies— Adam,  Noah.  Before  the  institution  of  an  order  of 
men  to  be  priests,  the  head  of  the  family  was  the  priest. 
(See  the  history  of  Abraham,  and  compare  Job  i.  5.)  The 
family  is  the  unit  of  which  both  church  and  state  consist. 

(2),  This  principle  is  still  more  clearly  brought  out  in  the 
constitution  of  the  visible  church  in  the  family  of  Abraham. 
Circumcision  was  a  family  rite,  and  the  head  of  the  family  the 
administrator.     (See  the  covenant  in  Genesis  xvii.) 

(3),  Confirmed  by  the  law  of  Moses.  The  constitution  of 
the  Jewish  state  a  family  constitution.  So  with  the  Jewish 
church.  The  most  striking  rite  of  all,  the  passover,  a  family 
rite.  Both  "circumcision"  and  the  "passover"  family  insti- 
tutions, and  national  because  family. 

(4),  The  highest  civilization  of  the  world  modeled  upon  the 
same  principle.  Notice  the  difference  and  contrast,  in  prin- 
ciple and  effect,  between  the  Anglo-Saxon  and  the  Jacobin, 


Bkiefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  225 

or  "rights-of-mau,"  civilization.  The  family  the  unit  of  so- 
ciety in  the  one,  the  individual  the  unit  in  the  other ;  free  in- 
stitutions the  product  of  the  one,  anarchy  and  despotism  the 
prod^^ct  of  the  other. 

(o),  The  express  teaching  of  the  New  Testament  in  refer- 
ence to  the  identity  in  substance  of  the  church  under  the  law 
and  the  gospel ;  the  Abrahamic  covenant  the  basis  of  both. 
But  the  detailed  proof  of  this  point  will  be  reserved  for  an- 
other occasion. 

(6),  The  main  difference  in  the  "seal,"  baptism  for  circum- 
cision. 

Therefore,  baptized  children  of  believers  in  covenant  with 
God.  God  offers  himself  first  and  eminently  to  them  as  their 
God  in  Jesus  Christ. 

II.  This  offer  first  and  eminently  to  them  binds  them  first 
and  before  all  to  accept  it,  and  to  take  God  as  their  God, 
and  to  offer  themselves  to  God  as  his  people. 

(1),  They  are  bound  as  sinners  who  hear  the  gospel,  like 
ali  other  sinners. 

(2),  The  vows  of  the  Lord  are  upon  them.  It  is  not  op- 
tional with  them  whether  they  will  now  choose  the  Lord  to 
be  their  God.  The  question  is  not  that,  but  the  question  is, 
whether  they  will  apostatize;  whether  they  will  renounce 
their  God,  violate  covenant  obligations,  and  take  the  conse- 
quences. The  die  is  cast ;  the  deed  is  done ;  you  have  been 
consecrated  to  God;  you  are  his  beyond  recall.  See  that 
broken  vows  do  not  meet  you  at  the  judgment,  and  add  to 
your  agony  in  hell. 

Objection :  But  we  had  no  part  in  this  covenant  transac- 
tion ;  we  ought  not  to  be  bound  by  the  acts  of  our  parents. 

Answer  by  showing :  (1),  That  you  are  bound  originally, 
and  without  the  act  of  your  parents ;  (2),  That  such  is  the 
law  and  the  constitution  of  the  providence  of  God  in  other 
departments  of  human  life.  Such  is  the  constitution  of  po- 
litical society.  Parents  do  bind  their  children.  Minors  are 
15 


226  Miscellanies. 

not  asked  whether  they  shall  be  subject  to  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  state.  Besides,  it  is  a  covenant  of  j^rivilege  as  well  as 
of  obUgation. 

III.  These  tows  can  only  be  fulfilled  by  personal  repent- 
ance and  personal  surrender  of  yourselves  to  God  in  Jesus 
Christ.  Children  of  pious  parents  have  been  lost,  and  may 
be  lost  again.     Exhortation. 

Objection  :  We  are  in  a  dilemma.  Bound  to  give  ourselves 
to  Christ  and  confess  him  before  men,  you  say?  But  we  are 
not  in  a  condition  to  do  it,  and  we  have  no  ability  to  do  it. 
Shall  we  make  a  hypocritical  confession  ? 

Answer:  By  no  means.  Make  a  true  surrender  of  your- 
selves to  God.  You  have  no  ability  to  do  it ;  but  this  is  your 
sin.  You  have  no  ability;  but  God  has  said,  "I  will  sprinkle 
clean  water  upon  you,  and  j'e  shall  be  clean :  from  all  your 
filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will  I  cleanse  you.  A  new 
heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within 
you :  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh, 
and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh.  And  I  will  put  my  Spirit 
within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye 
shall  keep  my  judgments,  and  do  them."  And  he  has  also 
said :  "I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Is- 
rael, to  do  it  for  them."  (Ezekiel  xxxvi.  25,  26,  27 ;  also  37.) 
Go  to  him  and  ask  for  strength.  If  you  will  not  ask,  you 
cannot  complain  if  your  despised  vows  should  stare  you  in 
the  face  at  the  bar  of  God. 


ACTS  vi.  1-6;  xiv.  23;  1  TIMOTHY  iii.  1-13. 

"And  in  those  days,  when  the  number  of  the  disciples  was  multiplied,, 
there  arose  a  murmuring  of  the  Grecians  against  the  Hebrews,  because 
their  widows  were  neglected  in  the  daily  ministration.  Then  the  twelve 
called  the  multitude  of  the  disciples  unto  them  and  said,  It  is  not  reason  that 
we  should  leave  the  word  of  God,  and  serve  tables.  Wherefore,  brethren, 
look  ye  out  among  you  seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint  over  this  business.  But  we  will  give 
ourselves  continually  to  prayer,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word.     And  the 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  227 

saying  pleased  the  whole  multitude;  and  they  chose  Stephen  a  man  full  of 
faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Philip,  and  Prochorus,  and  Nicanor,  and 
t"!;  and  Paimenas,  and  Nicolas,  a  proselyte  of  Antioeh:  whom  they 
set  befm-e  the  apostles;  and  when  they  had  prayed,  tney  laid  their  hands 

""''  Ch^)"xiv  23:  "And  when  they  had  ordained  tliem  elders  in  every 
church,  and  had  prayed  with  fasting,  they  commended  them  to  the  Lord, 
on  whom  they  believed." 

I  Introduction.  («),  First  text  contains  an  account  of  the 
institution  of  the  deacon's  office,  and  the  mode  of  their  calK 
ing  to  office.  (h\  The  second,  of  the  calhng  of  ruhng  elders. 
ic)    The  third,  of  the  quahfications  of  elders  and  deacons. 

il.  The  one  subject  is  the  nature  of  the  call  to  office  ^n  the' 

P  h'}/7^C  ill 

1  All  officers  must  be  called  of  God  by  the  Spirit,  because, 
(a)  The  church  is  God's  kingdom,  and  he  rules  and  regulates 
everything  in  it;  ordains  the  offices,  defines  the  powers  and 
functions  belonging  thereto,  and  appoints  the  men  to  hold 
the  offices,  etc.  (See,  as  to  the  offices,  Eph.  iv.  7-14 ;  1  Cor. 
xii  28  )  {h),  God  alone  can  confer  the  gifts  and  quahfications 
therefor.  (See  1  Cor.  xii.,  passim.)  Explain  what  is  meant 
by  gifts  ic),  Church  has  no  power  except  what  is  "  ministe- 
rial and  declaratiye."  In  appointing  officers,  it  is  simp  y 
obeying  the  will  of  Christ.  Compare  civil  commonwealth, 
"  people,"  in  the  sense  of  "  sovereign  people,"  ordaining  the 
constitution,  and  in  the  sense  of  "  constituents,"  or  "  electors. 
Difference  between  the  two  commonwealths:  m  the  spiritual 
commonwealth,  no  sovereignty  except  in  Christ.  He  gives 
the  constitution  to  the  church. 

2    They  must  also  be  called  by  the  church :  {a),  Proof  from 

Acts  vi.  ;  fromActs  xiii.  1-3  ;  from  Acts  xiv.  23  {x^ci>oro.ecv). 

{h),  Erom    the   nature   of    the   church   as    a  commonwealth. 

Officers  not  a  caste  or  aristocracy. 

This  calhng  by  the   church   consists  of   two  things:    (1), 

Election  by  the  people.     (2),  Election  and  ordination  by  the 

court.     (See  Acts  vi. ;  xiv. ;  xiii.  1-3.) 


228  Miscellanies. 

3.  The  guide  of  the  church  in  this  calling  is  the  quaHfica- 
tions  God  has  bestowed.  (See  1  Tim.  iii.  1-13.)  Hence, 
{a),  The  election  of  church  officers  is  not  simply  an  expres- 
sion of  preference  for  such  and  such  men,  but  an  expression 
of  obedience  to  the  will  of  God,  a  judgment  that  God  has 
called  them,  {h),  The  persons  called  ought  not  to  undertake 
the  office  vmless  they  believe  they  have  been  called  of  God, 
of  which  the  call  of  the  people  is  the  strongest  evidence. 
And  they  ought  to  be  very  sure  that  they  have  not  been 
called,  to  justify  them  in  refusing  office  after  the  call  of  the 
people. 

4.  When  called  to  office  in  a  particular  church  (as  Presby- 
terian Church,  United  States),  they  must  approve  its  consti- 
tution. 


ACTS    ix.    6.' 


"And  he  trembling  and  astonished  said,  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do?  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  into  the  city,  and  it  shall 
be  told  thee  what  thou  must  do." 

Introduction.  The  chief  points  of  the  history  in  which 
these  words  occur.  The  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  in 
teaching  us  by  example,  as  well  as  precept;  in  giving  us 
cases  as  well  as  rules.  We  are  expressly  enjoined  to  follow 
Paul  as  he  followed  Christ. 

I.  Every  human  being  must  do  something.  The  soul  of 
man  essentially  active ;  activity  the  indispensable  condition  of 
enjoyment.  The  life  of  a  child — the  life  even  of  an  animal — 
nay,  motion  is  the  law  of  all  things,  even  of  inanimate  matter. 

II.  Men,  in  their  present  fallen  condition,  naturally  prone 
to  do  the  wrong  thing ;  this  activity  takes  the  wrong  direc- 
tion— an  engine  without  the  balance-wheel,  working  with 
prodigious  energy,  but  working  to  no  good  purpose,  working 
not  for  the  end  for  which  it  was  made,  but  for  its  own  destruc- 

'  First  preached  at  the  church  on  Broadway,  Baltimore,  October  11, 1857. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  229 

tion ;  a  planet  that  lias  wandered  from  its  orbit,  is  man  in  tlie 
moral  system  of  the  imiverse.  Illustrate  by  Paul :  such  a 
man  could  not  be  a  cypher — must  be  a  positive  quantity,  a 
power  in  society,  and  so  he  was ;  a  persecutor,  he  did  not 
persecute  languidly,  but  with  all  the  energy  and  unfliuching 
resolution  of  his  nature ;  not  satisfied  with  the  victims  which 
fell  in  his  way,  but  going  to  strange  cities  to  hunt  for  them — 
not  lazily  turning  the  work  over  to  others,  but  doing  it  him- 
self. But  being  chosen  of  God  to  do  the  necessary  work  of 
turning  upside  down  that  world  which  by  reason  of  sin  was 
wrong  side  up,  he  had  himself  to  undergo  the  same  process 
first,  and  be  turned  upside  down.  So  with  every  man  before 
he  can  fulfil  his  true  mission.  The  disorder  of  the  soul — in- 
subordination—insurrection of  the  rabble  passions  against 
the  conscience,  the  constituted  authority,  constituted  of 
God.  The  standpoint  of  every  man  wrong  by  nature — self 
not  God.  What  a  system  of  astronomy  is  that  which  is  built 
on  the  theory  of  the  earth  being  the  centre!  We  must,  like 
the  angel  in  the  Apocalypse,  take  our  position  in  the  sun, 
and  then  all  is  clear,  natural,  and  beautiful.  No  wonder 
that  Paul  trembled  and  was  astonished,  awaking  as  he  now 
did  to  a  consciousness  of  his  past  folly  and  his  present  duty. 

III.  We  must  find  out  and  do  the  right  thing,  and  the  only 
right  thing  is  what  the  Lord,  who  made  us,  will  have  us  to 
do.  The  true  mission  of  a  called  man.  This  is  to  be  found 
out  by  inquiring  of  the  word  of  God,  and  by  examining 
ourselves — our  own  nature,  temperament,  gifts,  circum- 
stances, etc. 

lY.  We  all,  in  one  sense  and  in  the  general,  have  the  same 
thing  to  do,  because  we  all  have  the  same  nature,  stand  in 
the  same  relation  to  God  our  maker,  etc.  "The  chief  end  of 
man  is  to  glorify  God  and  to  enjoy  him  forever." 

V.  But  this  general  mission  is  to  be  fulfilled  in  different 
spheres.  Every  soul  has  a  difi'erent  mission,  because  he  is  a 
different  man  from  every  other.    Illustrate  by  Paul,  ApoUos, 


■230  Miscellanies. 

Cephas,  etc. — dififerent  gifts,  relations,  circumstances,  etc., 
married  and  unmarried,  fathers  and  mothers,  rich  and  poor, 
learned  and  unlearned.  No  man's  mission  to  live  under 
water  or  to  breath  an  atmosphere  of  pure  nitrogen.  God  has 
set  one  thing  over  against  another.  It  may  be  a  long  time, 
and  after  many  unsuccessful  experiments,  before  we  find  out 
our  true  mission,  but  we  must  find  it  out  or  live  in  vain. 

VI.  hnprovement.  (1),  Exhortation  to  church  members 
from  the  principles  thus  stated  and  as  illustrated  by  1  Cor. 
xii.  (2),  The  spirit  in  which  we  should  work — self-denial, 
self-sacrifice — "  no  man  liveth  to  himself."  (3),  It  is  in  work- 
ing for  the  good  "of  others  that  we  promote  our  own  good. 
The  general  health  of  the  body  is  felt  in  every  organ. 


ACTS    X.    29.1 


"  Therefore  came  I  unto  you  without  gainsaying,  as  soon  as  I  was  sent 
for  :   I  ask  therefore  for  what  intent  ye  have  sent  for  me  ?  " 

What  is  implied  in  a  call  to  the  pastoral  office  ?  God  has 
I)estowed  a  diversity  of  gifts  upon  the  church  for  its  edifica- 
tion. (Eph.  iv.  8,  etc. ;  1  Cor.  xii.)  A  great  variety  of  func- 
tions to  be  performed  for  the  purpose  of  building  up  the 
church.  God  has  seen  proper  not  to  appoint  a  distinct  officer 
for  every  several  function,  but  in  some  instances  to  unite  two 
or  more  functions  in  the  same  offices.  In  miraculous  gifts, 
for  example,  one  person  might  exercise  the  gift  of  tongues 
and  the  gift  of  healing.  So  in  the  ordinary  gifts  of  the 
church,  there  are  two  distinct  functions  united  in  the  office 
of  the  pastor :  one  which  he  exercises  alone,  the  function  of 
teaching;  the  other,  one  which  he  exercises  in  connection 
with  others,  the  function  of  government  and  discipline.  (See 
1  Tim.  V.  17.)  "Let  the  elders  that  rule  well,"  etc.  So  the 
office  of  a  shepherd.     (See  Zech.  xi.  7;  Isa.  xl.  9-11.) 

'Prepared  in  1846. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  231 

As  preliminary  to  an  account  of  the  duties  coming  under 
both  these  heads,  explain  the  true  nature  of  offices  in  the 
church.  Ministers  and  other  officers  merely  the  servants  of 
Christ;  mere  instruments  in  his  hand.  (1  Cor.  iii.  5,  etc.) 
Christ  the  only  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King  of  his  church. 
The  officers  are  stewards  only  of  his  mysteries.  (1  Cor.  iv.  1.) 

I.  In  discharging  the  function  of  a  teacher,  it  is  the  duty, 
in  general,  of  the  minister  to  declare  the  truth.  Three  pur- 
poses to  be  accomplished  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel: 
(1),  The  gathering  together  of  the  elect;  (2),  The  building 
thi3m  up ;  (3),  To  be  a  witness  for  God.  It  is  his  duty  in 
particular  to  preach  "Christ  crucified."  (1  Cor.  ii.  2.)  That 
this  is  his  duty  is  shown  also  from  the  general  obligation  to 
"speak  as  the  oracles  of  God";  to  observe  the  "proportion 
of  faith."  (Rom.  xii.)  Jesus  is  the  burden  of  Scripture  (so 
Peter  says  in  this  very  passage,  Acts  x.  43),  therefore  he  is 
bound  to  preach  Jesus.  What  is  involved  in  preaching 
Christ?  Not  merely  mentioning  his  name  constantly,  bat 
declaring  the  "truth  as  it  is  in  him."  Christ  the  centre  of 
the  system  of  divine  truth.  (Rev.  xix.  10.)  To  preach  him 
properly,  therefore,  is  to  preach  the  "whole  counsel  of 
God."  The  same  apostle  who  declares  that  he  will  "know 
nothing  but  Christ,"  declares  that  he  has  not  "shunned  to 
declare  the  lohole  counsel  of  God."  (Compare  1  Cor.  ii.  2 
with  Acts  XX.  27.)  We  are  to  preach  "Christ  crucified" ; 
that  is  to  say,  we  are  to  preach  the  atonement,  its  necessity, 
its  nature,  its  extent.  This  we  cannot  do  without  explaining 
the  general  principles  of  God's  government,  the  guilt  and 
depravity  of  man,  his  lost  and  condemned  condition,  and  his 
utter  inability  to  deliver  himself  from  hell.  In  a  word,  we 
must  preach  the  law  in  order  to  preach  the  gospel.  "The 
law  is  good  if  a  man  use  it  lawfully."  (1  Tim.  i.  8.)  It  is 
the  school-master  to  bring  us  to  Christ.  (Gal.  iii.  24.)  It  is 
only  by  the  law  that  men  are  convinced  of  sin.  (Rom.  vii.) 
It  holds  up  the  character  of  God  in  which,  as  in  a  mirror, 


232  Miscellanies. 

tlie  sinner  maj  see  the  "exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin,"  and 
the  terrible  damnation  that  awaits  him.  We  must  point  the 
eye  of  men  to  Mount  Sinai  enshrouded  in  darkness  and 
smoke,  and  sending  forth  its  lightnings,  in  order  that  thej 
may  see  their  danger  and  flee  to  Zion,  where  all  is  mercy  and 
peace.  It  is  only  after  the  thunders  of  the  law  have  been 
ringing  in  the  sinner's  ears  that  he  is  prepared  to  listen  to  the 
still,  small  voice  of  the  gospel.  Remark  upon  the  foolish 
delicacy  of  some  men  who  will  scarcely  speak  of  hell  and 
damnation,  for  fear  of  offending  the  feelings  of  their  hearers. 
This  is  the  delicacy  of  a  surgeon  who  would  refuse  to  take 
from  a  man  the  tumor  which  was  drinking  up  his  vitals,  or 
the  delicacy  of  a  man  who  would  refuse  to  pull  his  drowning 
friend  from  the  water  by  the  hair  of  his  head  on  account  of 
the  pain  it  would  inflict.  He  who  had  the  greatest  tender- 
ness and  compassion  for  mankind,  who  spent  his  life  in 
relieving  their  necessities,  who  wept  over  their  infatuation 
and  their  pride,  who  died  in  an  awful  and  intolerable  agony 
to  redeem  them,  our  Saviour  himself,  had  no  such  spurious, 
fatal  delicacy  as  this.  In  no  part  of  Scripture  do  so  many 
and  so  awful  denunciations  of  hell  occur  as  in  his  own 
discourses.  We  must  save  men,  "pulling  them  out  of  the 
lire."  (Jude.)  And  in  matters  in  which  life  and  death, 
eternal  life  and  eternal  death,  are  concerned,  to  use  the  lan- 
guage of  flattery  is  to  be  guilty  of  inexcusable  treachery  to 
Christ,  and  of  barbarous  cruelty  to  man.  May  God  preserve 
us  from  such  misplaced  compassion  as  this. 

II.  But  the  minister  is  not  only  to  declare  the  truth,  but 
the  whole  truth.  "  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  the  wkole 
counsel  of  God."  He  must  be  able  to  say,  not  that  he  has 
actually  declared,  but  that  he  has  not  shutined  to  declare, 
etc.  Now  no  good  man  will  contend  that  the  people  should 
not  be  xnstr acted.  That  ignorance  is  the  mother  of  devotion 
is  the  doctrine  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan.  Biit  there  are 
good  men  who  think  that  the  great  mysteries  of  the  gospel 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  233 

slioiild  not  be  preached,  those  mysteries,  I  mean,  which  are 
peculiarly  deep  and  peculiarly  liable  to  be  abused ;  and  this 
opinion  rests  mainly  upon  two  grounds : 

1.  That  the  mass  of  the  people  cannot  understand  them, 
nor  discussions  about  them.  Answer  this  by  showing  that 
the  understanding  of  the  mass  is  undervalued ;  that  even  if 
they  do  not  take  up  the  whole,  the  effort  they  are  obliged 
to  make  increases  their  intellectual  stature,  and  unless  an 
elevated  standard  of  thought  and  of  Christian  experience  is 
presented  to  the  people  they  cannot  grow ;  that  sanctification 
is  more  powerfully  promoted  by  the  study  of  these  mysteries 
than  by  anything  else ;  and  lastly,  from  the  express  command 
of  Scripture.     (Heb.  vi,  1-6.) 

2.  The  danger  of  these  mysteries  being  abused.  These 
mysteries  are  the  children's  food,  and  they  are  not  to  be 
deprived  of  it  because  others  convert  them  into  poison. 
The  minister,  as  was  said  before,  is  a  witness  for  God.  He 
must,  therefore,  deliver  his  testimony  faithfully,  whether  men 
will  hear  or  whether  they  will  forbear.  He  is  a  sweet  savor 
of  God,  both  in  them  that  perish  and  in  them  that  are  saved. 
Duty  is  his,  consequences  are  God's.  As  to  those  who 
deliberately  and  from  malice  keep  back  the  truth,  they 
should  remember  the  bitter,  penetrating,  consuming  maledic- 
tions that  are  pronounced  upon  them  in  the  Scriptures. 
(Eev.  xxii.  18, 19.) 

III.  We  are  to  "speak  as  the  oracles  of  God,"  not  only  in 
the  inatter,  but  as  to  the  manner.  Sometimes  argumenta- 
tively,  appealing  to  Scripture  and  to  acknowledged  principles 
of  human  reason,  lohen  they  coincide  loith  Scripture ;  some- 
times authoritatively,  as  the  messengers  of  God ;  sometimes 
exhorting  with  tenderness  and  even  with  tears;  sometimes 
rebuking  with  sharpness  and  severity ;  always  with  humility, 
remembering  that  we  are  dying  sinners  preaching  to  dying 
sinners ;  that  there  is  a  fearful  trust  committed  to  us  by  the 
King  eternal,  for  which  we  must  shortly  render  a  solemn 
account. 


^234  Miscellanies. 

IV.  The  other  part  of  the  pastor's  office,  discipline,  includ- 
ing also  visitation,  uses  of  discipline,  manner  of  visiting,  and 
the  extent  of  it,  etc. 

V.  The  corresponding  obligations  of  the  people.  The 
duty  of  studying  the  word  of  God,  and  trying  all  teachers  by 
that  standard.  Preachers  not  lords  of  their  faith,  but  helpers 
of  their  joy.  Receiving  the  truth  with  meekness  and  love, 
because  it  is  the  truth  of  God.  The  folly  of  quarrelling  with 
preachers,  or  becoming  offended  at  them  because  they  preach 
the  truth.  The  duty  of  sustaining  the  session  in  the  exercise 
of  discipline,  and  the  impropriety  of  insisting  upon  having 
too  much  of  the  pastor's  time  in  visiting.  The  duty  of  train- 
ing up  children  in  Christian  knowledge,  and  so  cooperating 
with  the  pastor.  The  duty  of  praying  for  the  preacher,  the 
comfort  and  edification  of  every  particular  congregation  de- 
pending in  an  especial  manner  upon  the  ministrations  of  the 
pastor.  He  ought  in  an  especial  manner  to  be  prayed  for. 
And  no  blessing  can  be  looked  for  without  it. 

YI.  Application:  (1),  The  tremendous  responsibility  of  the 
preacher's  office.  (2),  The  fearful  account  which  pastor  and 
people  must  render  of  themselves  and  in  reference  to  one 
another  at  the  great  day. 


ACTS  xi.    2  6.' 

"     .     .     .     And  the  disciples  were  called  Christians  first  at  Antioch." 

Introduction.  The  importance  of  names.  A  sarcastic 
philosopher  (Hobbes)  has  said,  that  names  are  "the  counters 
of  wise  men  and  the  money  of  fools";  but  if  this  saying  be 
true  in  its  full  sense,  not  only  are  the  majority  of  mankind 
convicted  of  folly,  but  even  the  shrewd  philosopher  himself 
must  fall  under  the  same  odious  imputation.  Nearly  all  the 
vehement  controversies  of   the  schools   have   been   mainly 

'  Preached  in  1853. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  235 

about  names.     In  partisan  and  sectarian  strife,  the  import- 
ance of  such  weapons,  both  in  attack  and  in  defence,  are 
well  understood.     Many  a  respectable  reputation  has  been 
made  to  stagger  under  the  burden  of  a  skillfully-chosen  name, 
and  many  a  bad  or  questionable  thing  has  escaped  the  indig- 
nation and  contempt  it  deserved,  under  a  similar  disguise. 
It  is  of  the  very  first  importance,  therefore,  to  weigh  weh  the 
import  of  names,  lest  we  fall  under  the  woe  which  is  de- 
nounced against  those  who  "call  evil  good,  and  good  evil, 
^ho  put  darkness  for  hght,  and  light  for  darkness,  who  put 
bitter  for  sweet,  and  sweet  for  bitter."     (Isaiah  v.  20.)     In 
the  Hebrew  tongue  it  is  a  very  common  idiom  to  put  the 
name  for  the  thing;  iustead  of  saying  "a  thing  i.v  thus,"  to 
say  "it  is  called  thus."     It  is  not  for  nothing,  then,  nor  for 
the  sake  merely  of  recording  a  curious  item  of  history,  that 
we  are  told  that  the  disciples  of  Jesus  were  "called  Chris- 
tians first  at  Antioch,"  that  on  the  banks  of  the  Orontes  and 
under  the  shadow  of  the  palaces  of  the   Syrian  kings  that 
name  was  given  which  rivers  of  blood  have  not  been  able  to 
obliterate,  which  the  most  polluted  breath  of  slander  has 
not  been  able  permanently  to  tarnish,  or  the  mahgnant  oppo- 
sition of  men  and  devils  to  prevent  from  identifying  itself 
with  all  that  has  contributed  to  elevate,  sanction,  and  adorn 
our  fallen  race.     Often  has  the  simple  confession,  "I  am  a 
Christian"  given  new  patience  and  vigor  to  the  martyrs  of 
Jesus  in  times  of  trial;  "by  this  sign  they  conquered,"  and 
entered  into  rest.     It  is  the  name  of  the  sacramental  host  of 
God's  elect,   against  which  no  weapon   shall  prosper,  and 
which  shall  one  day  join  the  triumphal  procession  of  the 
King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  as  he  comes  to  give  the 
carcasses  of  his  enemies  to  the  beasts  of  the  field  and  the 
fowls  of  the  air.     Let  us  meditate  upon  it.  ^ 

I.  Suhject :  The  origin  and  import  of  the  name  Christian. 
The  orio-'in  of  the  name ;  by  whom  was  it  given  ? 

Flrsl  Not  by  the  Jews;  they  called  believers  "the  sect  or 


236  Miscellanies. 

heresy  of  the  Nazarenes,"  a  nickname  designed  to  cover 
them  with  contempt  (Acts  xxiv.  5),  or  "GaHleans"  (Mark 
xiv.  70  ;  Luke  xxii.  59),  a  denomination  dehghted  in  hj 
Julian  the  Apostate,  who,  with  a  more  than  Jewish  hatred 
of  Christ,  made  it  the  business  of  his  hfe  "to  crucify  the  Son 
of  God  afresh  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame."  Again,  the 
Jews  were  not  the  leading  people  in  the  Greek  city  of  Anti- 
och  ;  they  would  not  have  given  a  name  taken  from  the 
Messiah.  The  only  conception  they  had  of  the  followers  of 
Jesus  was  that  of  a  new  sect  like  the  Pharisees,  Sadducees, 
etc. ;  but  the  Christians  in  Antioch  embraced  many  Greeks 
among  their  number  (see  verses  20,  21  of  this  chapter) — in- 
deed, it  seems  to  have  been  this  incorporation  of  the  Gentiles 
which  suggested  the  propriety  of  a  new  name.  And,  lastly, 
it  is  a  name  formed  according  to  the  analogy  of  the  Latin. 
language.  (See  Conybeare  and  Howson's  Life  of  Paul, 
Vol.  I.,  p.  118  flf.) 

Second,  Not  by  the  disciples  themselves ;  they  called  them- 
selves "disciples,"  "brethren,"  "believers,"  and  continued  to 
do  so. 

Third,  It  must  have  been  given  either  by  the  Gentiles  or 
by  the  authority  of  God.  The  former  supposition  seems  the 
most  probable  for  several  reasons :  (1),  The  name  Christian 
is  not  generally  used  for  believers  afterwards  in  the  Acts  or 
in  the  epistles,  as  it  would  have  been,  in  all  probability,  if  it 
had  been  given  by  divine  authority.  Only  used  twice  be- 
sides this  place  (Acts  xxvi.  28;  1  Peter  iv.  16),  and  in  both 
places  apparently  as  a  term  of  reproach  from  enemies  of  the 
gospel.  (2),  The  argument  for  the  theory  of  the  divine 
origin  of  the  name  derived  from  the  word  "called"  in  the 
Greek  not  conclusive,  because  it  sometimes  has  no  reference 
to  a  divine  oracle.  (See  Romans  vii.  3  in  the  Greek.)  (3), 
It  is  no  objection  to  the  Gentile  origin  of  the  name  that  it 
should  be  so  exactly  expressive  of  the  character  and  calling 
of  a  believer,  and  that  it  should  have  come  into  general  use 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  237 

in  the  cliuicli.  There  was  a  special  providence  overruling 
the  giving  of  the  name,  as  there  was  in  the  case  of  the  super- 
scription on  the  cross.  God  had  a  purpose  in  that  which 
Pilate  did  not  dream  of,  and  so  the  Antiochians  were  led  to 
give  a  name,  under  the  secret  leadings  of  providence,  which 
thej  intended  only  as  the  denomination  of  a  new  school,  or 
partj  or  body  of  men,  composed  both  of  Jews  and  Gentiles, 
which  occurred  ^r 6^^  at  Antioch,  but  which  God  intended  to 
be  descriptive  of  the  followers  of  Jesus,  and  of  their  intimate 
and  unique  relations  to  him.  Compare  the  prophecy  of 
Caiaphas  (in  John  xi.  49-52),  where  Caiaphas  meant  one 
thing  and  God  another.  Compare  also  the  history  of  such 
names  as  "Huguenot,"  "Methodist,"  "Puritan." 

II.  The  import  of  the  name.  And  here  we  may  observe : 
First,  That  it  was  not  at  Jerusalem,  the  holy  city,  but  at 
Antioch,  the  seat  of  Gentile  luxury,  "the  eastern  centre  of 
Greek  fashion  and  Roman  luxury,"  as  it  has  been  called 
(Conybeare  &  Howson,  as  above),  a  city  remarkable  for  its 
fondness  for  nicknames,  that  the  name  was  given ;  and  that, 
too,  not  till  it  was  clearly  established  that  the  new  covenant 
was  of  a  larger  and  more  liberal  grasp  than  the  old,  that  the 
middle  wall  of  partition  had  been  broken  down  between  Jew 
and  Gentile,  and  God  proclaimed  to  be  the  same  Lord  over 
all,  and  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him.  As  that  remarkable 
superscription  upon  the  cross  of  the  Redeemer,  written  in 
Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin,  the  leading  languages  of  the  earth, 
was  a  sort  of  symbol  of  the  universal  salvation  and  empire 
of  the  crucified  One,  so  this  name,  which  is  in  its  root  Greek, 
in  its  meaning  Jewish,  and  in  its  form  Latin,  was  a  sort  of 
proclamation  of  the  great  truth  that  in  Jesus  there  is  neither 
Jew  nor  Greek,  barbarian,  Scythian,  bond,  nor  free,  but 
rather  all  of  them  together  in  one  body,  "one  Lord,  one 
faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above 
all,  and  through  all,  and  in  all."  Alas!  that  Christ  should 
have  been  since  divided,  and  "Christians"  split  up  into  so 


238  Miscellanies. 

many  opposing  parties!  Oh!  for  the  day  when  there  shall 
be  again  but  one  ilock,  and  its  name  one!  Notice,  in  this 
connection,  the  interesting  fact  that  the  first  collection  made 
in  a  Gentile  city  for  the  poor  saints  among  the  Jews  was  made 
here,  and  about  the  time  this  name  was  given,  (See  verses 
27-30.)  What  a  testimony  to  the  reality  of  the  union  with 
the  same  Head,  and  the  "fellowship"  of  the  saints  in  him! 
(2  Cor,  viii.,  ix,)  In  the  name  "Christian,"  therefore,  we 
have  that  grand  idea  of  the  "sodality"  and  brotherhood  of 
nations,  which,  in  its  defective  and  distorted  image,  is  en- 
gaging the  minds  and  hearts  of  modern  philosophers  and 
patriots. 

Secondly,  That  the  name  implies  membership  in  the  school 
of  Christ,  belief  in  his  doctrines,  and  obedience  to  his  com- 
mandments. Analogy  of  other  names — Platonists,  Aristo- 
telians, Thomasists,  etc, — but  show  the  diiference  between 
them.  (1),  It  is  only  in  the  school  of  Christ  that  the  famous 
^' auToz  e^Jy,"  or  ^'ipse  dixit,''  of  the  ancient  schools  has  its 
place.  We  believe  because  he  says  so ;  but  such  faith  ought 
not  to  be  exercised  in  any  mere  man,  (2),  Christ  is  our 
King,  and  we  must  ohey  him  in  all  things ;  not  so  any  mortal 
man,  (3),  Christ  is  our  example,  to  be  followed  in  all  things; 
not  so  any  mortal  man.  (4),  Christ  is  "our  life,"  and  in  this 
respect  there  is  an  infinite  diiferer  ce  between  him  and  any 
human  teacher.  We  are  in  him,  which  could  never  be  said 
of  any  other  master  and  his  followers,  "In  Socrates,"  "in 
Plato,"  what  sense  could  be  found  in  such  phrases?  And 
yet  "in  Christ"  is  the  common  expression  of  the  relation  of 
believers  to  Christ,  in  the  New  Testament,  Enlarge  iipon 
this  point,  our  union  with  Christ,  Notice  in  what  sense 
Christians  are  called  Calvinists  or  Arminians,  etc.  No  con- 
tempt of  Christ  in  this, 

III,  Improvement.  First,  The  great  abuse  of  this  honor- 
able denomination  by  the  world.  Men  call  themselves  Chris- 
tians, who,  in  their  whole  lives,  exhibit  a  total  disregard  of 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts. 


239 


his  religion  in  point  of  faith  and  in  point  of  duty.  "  The 
name  of  God  is  blasphemed  through  you  among  the  Gentiles, 
as  it  is  written."  (See  Hall's  sermon,  Worhs,  Yol.  III.,  page 
179.)  Men  deny  Christ,  the  only  Lord  God,  that  bought 
them,  and  then  think  it  hard  that  they  cannot,  be  considered 
Christians.  Secondly,  The  glory  of  the  name  for  all  who  ex- 
pound its  true  meaning  in  their  lives,  the  members  of  his 
body.  How  ought  they  to  dwell  together  in  unity,  when  the 
oil  that  is  poured  upon  the  head  descends  upon  the  beard 
and  the  skirts  of  the  garments!  Strive  together  for  the  faith 
and  hope  of  the  gospel,  and  ]3resent  an  unbroken  front  to 
the  adversary. 

ACTS   xiv.    1. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  in  Iconiura.  that  they  went  both  together  into  the 
synagogue  of  the  Jews,  and  so  spake,  that  a  great  multitude  both  of  the 
Jews  and  also  of  the  Greeks  believed." 

Introduction.  Connection  between  the  preaching  in  Ico- 
nium  and  the  persecution  in  Antioch  of  Pisidia.  Whatever 
"so  spake"  may  mean,  it  was  the  result,  no  doubt,  of  the 
bad  treatment  of  Pavil  and  Barnabas  in  Antioch. 

1.  "So  spake  "  does  not  refer  to  the  matter  of  their  preach- 
ing.    This  was  the  same  everywhere. 

2.  It  means  that  they  spake  "in  such  a  manner"  that,  etc., 
and  that  if  they  had  not  spoken  in  such  a  manner,  such  a 
multitude  would  not  have  beheved. 

3.  Now  this  seems  inconsistent  with  Paul's  own  doctrine 
(see  1  Cor.  ii.  and  alihi),  as  well  as  with  the  general  tenor  of 
Scripture  teaching. 

How  is  this  to  be  explained  ? 

Answer:  1.  That  while  God  chooses  such  means  as  to 
show  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  is  his,  he  at  the  same 
time  chooses  means  which  have  some  correspondence  in 
nature  with  the  end.  Compare  the  taking  of  Jericho  and 
Gideon's  victory  over  the  Midianites. 


240  Miscellanies. 

2.  God  chooses  Tnen,  and  not  angels,  to  reveal  his  will,  and 
men  of  different  sorts,  capacities,  attainments,  temperaments, 
etc.  Why  but  because  these  are  better  adapted  to  move 
TYieii  f 

3.  For  the  same  reason  the  same  men  are  better  fitted  to 
be  instruments  of  convertin^^  and  edifying  men  when  their 
souls  are  powerfully  moved  by  the  truths  they  preach  to 
others.  "-^Iloly  men  of  old  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  The  truth  is  delivered  to  us  by  men  who  have 
experienced  its  power.  Balaam  and  his  ass  the  only  excep- 
tions. 

Improvement.  (1),  The  necessity  of  cultivating  the  heart  by 
prayer.  (2),  Of  enlivening  the  heart  by  study  and  meditation. 
Paul  was  a  student,  though  inspired.  A  blunt  piece  of  iron, 
red-hot,  will  penetrate  deeper  than  sharp  iron  cool.  The 
force  of  a  bullet  depends  upon  tlie powder.  (3),  The  necessity 
of  prayer  on  the  part  of  the  people  for  theii-  ministers.  Pray 
for  us ! 


ACTS    xvi.    31. 


"  And  they  said.  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 
saved,  and  thy  house." 

I.  Introduction.  Recount  leading  facts  of  the  narrative. 
We  have  here  the  salvation  of  a  pagan,  one  who  was  an 
"alien  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,"  a  "stranger  to  the 
covenants  of  promise."  We  have  here  the  gospel  coming  in 
contact  with  a  sinner  as  such,  a  sinner  nakedly  considered, 
unmodified  by  a  religious  education ;  one  who  had  no  hope  of 
any  sort  in  reference  to  the  condition  of  his  soul  beyond  the 
grave ;  one,  perhaps,  who  did  not  even  know  that  he  had  a 
soul  to  be  saved  or  lost,  until  he  was  awakened  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  His  first  impulse  was  to  kill  himself,  fearing  no  other 
power  or  judgment  than  those  of  his  earthly  masters.  He 
knew  his  misery  as  the  misery  of  one  who  would  be  judged 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  241 

to  have  been  uufaitliful  to  his  trust,  but  had  no  thought  of 
his  misery  as  a  sinner  against  God,  and,  therefore,  asked  no 
question  about  deliverance  from  the  judgment  of  God  until 
awakened  through  the  friendly  exhortation  of  Paul  to  do 
himself  no  harm.  Then  he  asks,  "What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved?" 

II.  Paul's  answer,  "'Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy  house."  The  proposition  is, 
"Salvation  is  only  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  That 
this  is  so  we  argue  : 

1.  From  the  nature  of  salvation.  This  is  described  in 
Matthew  i.  21  as  deliverance  from  our  sins.  Sin  is ;  («),  Non- 
conformity to  the  law  of  God  both  as  to  our  nature  and  to  our 
conduct.  The  law  being  au  expression  of  the  purity  and  glory 
of  God's  nature,  sin  is  pollution  and  shame.  {])),  Penalty  is 
an  essential  element  of  the  law;  and,  therefore,  sin  is  ex- 
posure to  the  penalty,  is  gnilt  as  well  as  pollution  and  shame. 
See  the  first  working  of  a  sense  of  sin  in  Adam.  He  was 
filled  wdth  both  fear  and  shame.  (Gen.  iii.)  Now,  sin  can- 
not be  got  rid  of,  either  as  to  its  pollution  or  its  guilt,  except 
through  Jesus  Christ.  No  man  can  cleanse  himself,  for  no 
man  can  rise  above  himself  by  his  own  power.  It  must  be 
by  some  power  outside  of  himself— as  the  Scriptures  say, 
through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  the  Holy  Ghost 
cannot  come  into  the  heart  of  a  sinner  while  the  law  demands 
that  he  shall  endure  its  curse.  He  cannot  endure  that  curse 
and  be  saved.  Damnation  is  the  ever  enduring  of  the  curse. 
He  must,  therefore,  cast  himself  upon  one  who  has  endured 
the  curse  for  him,  and  that  is  Christ.  This  casting  himself 
as  iitterly  guilty  and  utterly  helpless  is  faith.  Illustrate  by 
the  miracle  of  the  leper  and  the  miracle  of  Bartimeus. 

2.  From  the  nature  of  faith  (as  opposed  to  works).  Salva- 
tion must  be  either  by  one  or  the  other.  Not  by  works,  but 
by  faith. 

16 


242  Miscellanies. 

ACTS   XX.    2  8. 

"  Take  heed  therefore  unto  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock,  over  the 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  church  of  God 
which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood." 

I.  The  officers  to  whom  this  exhortation  is  addressed: 
elders,  or  'bishops,  or  pastors.  These  of  two  sorts,  ac  cording 
to  1  Tim.  V.  17  :  "  Let  the  elders  that  rule  well  be  counted 
worthy  of  double  honor,  especially  they  who  labor  in  the 
word  and  doctrine." 

II.  The  exhortation  twofold : 

(1),  To  take  heed  unto  themselves.  Reasons  are,  (a).  It  is 
a  man's  Jirst  duty  to  glorify  God  by  seeking  the  perfection 
of  his  own  nature.  Note  the  distinction  between  liheral  and 
professional  education,  {h).  Taking  heed  to  one's  self  is  the 
indispensable  condition  of  a  worthy  and  efficient  taking  heed 
to  one's  toork.  Connection  between  Luther's  life  in  his 
monk's  cell  and  the  work  that  he  did  on  the  public  theatre 
of  Europe  and  the  world. 

(2),  To  take  heed  unto  the  flock.  The  manner  of  doing  it 
is  expressed  by  "feeding"  (or,  as  in  the  Oveek, performing 
the  office  of  a  shepherd  for  thefock):  (a).  Bearing  the  mem- 
bers of  his  flock  on  his  mind  and  heart.  Prayer  as  a  means  of 
doing  this,  (h).  Visiting  and  inspection  of  the  actual  condi- 
tion of  the  flock.  Watching  for  souls  the  duty  not  of  the 
ministry  only.  (<?),  Admonition,  rebuke,  censure — in  a  word, 
discipline.  Unreasonable  prejudice  against  discipline.  It 
is  Christ's  ordinance  for  edification,  not  for  destruction. 

III.  Motives  to  enforce  the  exhortation :  (a).  The  Holy 
Ghost  hath  made  you  overseers  in  the  flock,  not  idlers  in  a 
place  of  honor,  but  officers  to  see  that  others  do  their  duty. 
Majesty  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Elders  co-workers  with  him. 
(b).  The  object  of  your  care  is  the  church  which  God  hath 
purchased  tvith  his  otv?i  hlood.  The  infinite  value  of  the 
meanest  of  the  children  of  God.     The  dignity  and  glory  of 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  243 

tne  work  committed  to  the  ministry  of  the  church— fellow- 
ship with  Christ.  The  reward— when  the  Chief  Shepherd 
shaU  appear,  you  shall  receive  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth 
not  away. 

ACTS   xxii.    10;    v  i.    3. 
On  the  Claims  of  the  Ministry. 

"And  I  said,  What  shall  I  do,  Lord?  And  the  Lord  said  unto  me, 
Arise,  and  go  into  Damascus:  and  there  it  shall  be  told  thee  of  all  things 
which  are  appointed  for  thee  to  do." 

"  Wherefore,  brethren,  look  ye  out  among  you  seven  men  of  honest  re- 
port, full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint  over  this 
business." 

I.  Introduction.  Reasons  for  consideration  of  this  subject: 
(1),  The  ordinance  of  God.  God  will  have  preachers.  (2), 
The  nature  of  the  case.  God's  kingdom  a  kingdom  of  truth. 
(John  xviii.)  The  truth,  therefore,  is  to  be  proclaimed. 
The  "printed  page"  not  sufficient.  Speaking,  before  print- 
ing or  writing,  hath  the  birthright,  and  is  entitled  to  the 
blessing.  In  other  spheres  of  hfe  the  press  has  not  dimin- 
ished the  amount  of  speaking;  it  has  rather  increased  it. 
(3),  The  crying  necessities  of  the  church— flocks  without 
shepherds ;  the  necessities  of  a  heathen  world— the  harvest 
great,  the  laborers  few. 

There  are  two  aspects  in  which  I  propose  to  present  the 
subject:  {a),  As  related  to  the  indivkhial  memhers  of  the 
church  who  may  be  called— their  duty  to  consider  the  ques- 
tion, and  the  method  by  which  they  are  to  seek  a  solution  of 
it.  \h),  As  related  to  the  church,  the  method  in  which  the 
people  of  God  are  to  seek  a  supply  of  ministers. 
II.  First  as  to  individuals  : 

(1),  It  is  the  duty  of  every  man  awakened  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  the  reality  and  solemnity  of  life  to  inquire,  "  What 
shall  I  do,  Lord?"     This  was  the  effect  of  the  manifestation 


244  Miscellanies. 

of  the  Lord  upon  Saul  of  Tarsus.  He  liad  not  been  an  idle 
man.  He  could  not  but  be  a  power  with  such  intellectual 
energy,  such  ardor  of  temperament,  etc.  He  had  not  done 
what  he  did  languidly.  He  persecuted  as  he  afterwards 
preached — with  all  his  might.  He  now  feels  that  his  ener- 
gies had  been  worse  than  wasted — that  he  had  been  doing 
worse  than  nothing ;  and  he  asks,  in  the  anguish  of  his  awak- 
ening, "What  shall  I  do?" 

(2),  The  first  answer  to  this  question  when  asked  by  a 
sinner  awakened  for  the  first  time  is  that  which  was  given 
to  Saul :  "Arise,  be  baptized  and  wash  away  thy  sins,  calling 
on  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

(3),  Furthermore,  answer  was  given  to  Saul  by  revelation 
that  he  was  to  be  a  preacher  of  the  word.  (Acts  ix.  15 ;  xxvi. 
15-18.)  The  general  call  to  dedicate  ourselves  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God  is  fulfilled  in  the  discharge  of  some  special  call- 
ing. Whatever  be  our  special  occupation  or  pursuit,  how- 
ever we  come  to  it,  whether  by  accident  (as  men  speak),  or 
by  the  circumstances  of  birth  or  education,  or  by  the  will  of 
our  parents,  or  by  our  own  conscious  choice,  it  is  appointed 
of  God  for  us.  This  is  acknowledged  in  the  common  lan- 
guage of  men  ;  for  these  pursiiits  are  called  "  vocations  "  or 
"callings."  Where  a  calling  has  to  be  chosen  by  ourselves, 
or  by  others  for  us,  no  little  perplexity  is  often  felt.  The 
question  is  not,  shall  we  live  unto  ourselves  or  unto  God? 
The  answer  to  that  question  is  plain  enough.  But  the  ques- 
tion is,  in  what  special  pursuit  shall  we  live  unto  God  and 
accomplish  our  great  end,  the  perfecting  of  our  nature  by  per- 
fect conformity  to  the  divine  will?  All  cannot  be  preachers ; 
God  demands  servants  in  other  offices  of  the  church ;  in  the 
offices  of  the  state  (which  is  also  his  ordinance);  in  the 
offices,  trades,  arts,  professions,  which  are  made  necessary  by 
the  complex  organization  of  society.  Besides,  no  man  has 
the  right  to  choose  to  be  a  preacher  unless  he  has  reason  to 
believe  that  he  is   called  of  God  by  his  Spirit.     He  must 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  245 

have  the  testimony  of  his  conscience  and  must  feel  the  pres- 
sure of  a  sense  of  duty  to  warrant  him  to  assume  such  a  high 
privilege  or  to  attempt  the  performance  of  such  solemn  func- 
tions. How  shall  he  find  out  whether  he  is  called?  He 
must  not  expect  a  voice  from  heaven,  or  a  communication  of 
a  prophet,  as  in  the  cases  of  Paul  and  Timothy.  The  only 
method  is  by  Scripture,  providence,  prayer,  and  the  judg- 
ment of  the  church.  The  Scriptures  teach  that  God  has  ap- 
pointed the  ministry  of  the  word  ;  it  states  the  qualifications 
which  a  minister  must  have ;  it  prescribes  prayer.  The  indi- 
cations of  providence,  abundance  or  paucity  of  ministers — 
the  character  of  the  existing  ministry,  whether  competent 
and  faithful,  or  the  reverse — the  circumstances  of  individuals, 
etc.  But  as  men  are  not  good  judges  in  their  own  cause,  the 
judgment  of  the  church  must  be  invoked  in  the  form  of  ad- 
vice of  ministers,  elders,  deacons,  parents,  presbyteries,  con- 
gregations. And  this  leads  me  to  the  second  general  aspect 
of  the  subject : 

II.  The  means  to  be  used  by  the  church  for  the  increase 
of  the  ministry. 

Some  hold  that  the  church  is  authorized  to  use  no  other 
means  besides  prayer.  This  notion  seems  to  be  based  on 
the  instances  of  Moses,  the  apostles,  and  other  extraordinary 
ministers  ;  and  the  notion  that  the  call  to  be  a  minister  of 
the  word  is  altogether  different  from  the  call  to  be  a  ruling 
elder  or  deacon.  It  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  the  first  notion 
to  say  that  Moses,  Paul,  etc.,  were  extraordinary  ministers. 
Our  question  is  about  ordinary  ministers.  As  to  the  other 
notion  I  observe  :  (1),  That  Scripture  gives  no  sanction  to  the 
idea  that  the  call  to  the  ministry  is  so  different  from  that  of 
the  eldership  or  diaconate  as  to  make  the  interposition 
of  the  church  proper  in  the  case  of  the  ruHng  elder  and 
deacon,  and  improper  in  the  case  of  the  minister.  (2),  The 
notion  is  inconsistent  with  what  is  done  in  our  own  and 
other  Protestant  churches,  in  all  of  which  the  church  does 


246  Miscellanies. 

interpose  with  its  judgment  before  a  man  can  become  a  min- 
ister. If  so,  why  not  interpose  at  the  heghining  of  the  pro- 
cess as  well  as  at  the  end  ? — as  in  the  case  of  the  deacons  in 
Acts  vi.  The  people  '*  looked  out"  suitable  men,  men  whose 
qualifications  were  prescribed  by  the  apostles  ;  and  then  the 
apostles  concurred  and  ordained  them.  Why  may  not  the 
people  do  the  like  now  in  the  case  of  the  ministers  of  the 
word  ? 

Hence,   the   means   to   be   used    by  the   church   are:    (1), 
Prayer;  (2),  Looking  out  the  quahfied  men. 


ACTS    xxii.    10. 

"  And  I  said,  What  shall  I  do,  Lord?" 

The  Bible  was  designed  to  be  a  rule  for  all  mankind  and 
to  cover  the  whole  circumference  of  human  duty.  It  was 
designed  also  to  be  a  portable  rule ;  to  be  with  men  in  their 
lying  down  and  in  their  rising  up,  in  their  going  out  and  in 
theu"  coming  in ;  to  be  their  viaticum  and  their  vade  mecwm. 
Its  words  of  instruction,  of  warning,  and  of  comfort  were  to 
be  read  by  the  mother  as  she  rocked  the  cradle  of  her  infant; 
and  they  were  to  be  read  over  the  remains  of  the  departed 
and  at  the  open  grave.  We  need  not  be  surprised,  then,  to 
find  it  very  jealous  of  its  spaces,  and  giving  to  no  topic  a 
relatively  large  space  unless  that  topic  be  one  of  great  im- 
portance with  respect  to  the  end  for  which  the  revelation 
was  given.  If  the  martyrdom  of  James,  the  son  of  Zebedee, 
a  distinguished  apostle,  and  belonging  to  that  inner  circle 
which  the  Lord  honored  with  the  most  intimate  intercourse 
with  himself,  is  recorded  in  a  single  short  sentence ;  and  the 
martyrdom  of  Stephen,  a  deacon,  is  recounted  in  consider- 
able detail,  we  may  rest  assured  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  who 
guided  the  pen  of  the  historian,  was  in  both  records  con- 
sulting the  edification  of  the  church. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  247 

The  fact,  therefore,  that  the  manifestation  of  Jesus  to 
Saul  ou  the  road  to  Damascus  is  recorded  three  times  in  this 
short  history  of  "The  Acts"  is  sufficient  proof  that  it  con- 
tains lessons  which  it  is  specially  important  for  us  to  ponder 
and  lay  to  heart.  The  truth  of  the  whole  Christian  scheme 
might  be  safely  rested  upon  this  narrative  alone.  Lord 
Lyttleton  seems  to  have  been  conscious  of  its  immense  im- 
portance in  connection  with  the  proofs  of  the  divine  origin 
of  Christianity,  when  he  set  himself  to  the  study  of  it  in 
order  to  overthrow  it.  It  overthrew  him,  however,  as  you 
know,  and  the  result  was  one  of  the  ablest  defences  of  Chris- 
tianity, under  the  title  of  Lyttleton  on  the  Conversion  of 
Paul.  If  this  narrative  be  true,  then  the  Holy  Ghost  must 
have  been  given,  and  if  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given,  then 
Jesus  must  have  risen  from  the  dead  by  his  own  divine 
power,  and  his  resurrection  from  the  dead  carries  with  it 
the  truth  of  all  that  he  taught.  This  narrative  and  the  nar- 
rative of  Christ's  resurrection  from  the  dead  together  con- 
stitute the  Gibraltar  of  Christianity. 

My  present  purpose,  however,  is  much  narrower  than  these 
introductory  remarks  might  lead  you  to  expect.  I  do  not 
propose  to  defend  Christianity  against  the  infidel,  but  simply 
to  bring  out  some  of  the  practical  lessons  contained  in  the 
question  of  Saul,  "What  shall  I  do,  Lord?"  a  question 
wrung  from  him  in  a  moment  of  great  awakening,  produced 
by  an  immediate  vision  of  the  majesty  of  the  Lord. 

I.  The  first  lesson  I  shall  mention  is  that  every  man  must 
find  something  to  do.  The  soul  of  man  is  essentially  active, 
and  must  be  employed.  It  never  slumbers  nor  sleeps.  The 
mind  must  have  something  to  think  about,  the  heart  some- 
thing to  love,  the  imagination  something  to  be  entertained 
with,  even  when  the  will  is  impotent  and  the  hands  are  idle. 
The  entire  inactivity  of  the  soul  would  be  death.  For  good 
or  evil,  for  weal  or  woe,  we  must  think,  feel,  imagine.  A 
blessed  necessity  is  this  for  the  soul  engaged  in  the  inquiry 


248  Miscellanies. 

after  truth,  which,  in  the  exquisite  language  of  Bacon,  is  the 
love-making  or  wooing  of  it;  for  the  soul  possessing  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  which  is  the  presence  of  it ;  for  the 
soul  believing  the  truth,  which  is  the  enjoying  of  it.  "Cer- 
tainly, it  is  heaven  upon  earth  to  have  a  man's  mind  move 
in  charity,  rest  in  providence,  and  turn  upon  the  poles  of 
truth."  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  a  mournful  necessity  for  the 
soul  which  lives  in  an  atmosphere  of  falsehood  and  delusion ; 
for  it  must  think,  feel,  and  imagine,  and  yet  all  its  thoughts^ 
feelings,  and  imaginations  derive  their  coloring  from  that 
"place  where  hope  ne'er  comes  which  comes  to  all."  What 
is  suicide  but  a  vain  attempt  to  escape  from  this  tyrannous 
activity?  How  senseless  the  hope  that  a  bullet  may  extin- 
guish the  fire  of  hell  within,  or  annihilate  the  soul  itself 
which  has  begotten  and  nourished  the  dreadful  progeny  of 
thoughts  and  passions  which  torture  it!  Man's  nature  is  a 
rich  soil,  and  runs  either  to  herbs  or  weeds.  The  brain  that 
is  idle  for  all  useful  work  is,  as  the  homely  proverb  hath  it, 
"the  devil's  workship,"  or  as  the  nursery  couplet  gives  it: 
"  Satan  finds  some  mischief  still  for  idle  hands  to  do." 

Some  souls  are  greater  than  others — greater  in  thought, 
greater  in  feeling,  greater  in  imagination,  greater  in  will, 
greater,  therefore,  in  power  for  good  or  for  evil.  Saul  of 
Tarsus  could  not  but  be  a  power  in  the  world.  He  could 
not  be  hid.  On  some  public  theatre  he  must  perform  a  part 
if  he  lived  at  all.  Up  to  the  time  of  the  vision  of  Jesus 
Christ  on  the  road  to  Damascus,  he  had  been  an  ardent  per- 
secutor of  the  saints,  and  all  the  more  ardent  because  he 
was  sincere  and  conscientious.  He  verily  thought  with  him- 
self that  he  ought  to  do  many  things  contrary  to  the  name 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Whatever  he  did,  whether  as  Saul  or 
Paul,  whether  as  persecutor  or  preacher,  he  did  with  all  his 
might.  Yet  this  man,  who  had  been  doing  all  his  life,  asks, 
"  What  shall  I  do,  Lord  ?  "     This  leads  me  to  observe — 

II.  The  second  lesson  to  be  learned,  and  this  is  that  the 


.  Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  249 

Lord  alone  h  to  determine  what  we  shall  do.  It  is  not  in 
man  that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps.  Man's  heart  deviseth 
his  waj,  but  the  Lord  directeth  his  steps.  Saul  of  Tarsus 
had  been  doing  of  his  own  will ;  he  now  is  made  to  under- 
stand that  the  doing  his  own  will  is  the  sin  of  rebellion 
and  idolatry,  and  that  to  do  the  will  of  God  is  better  than  all 
burnt-ofierings  and  sacrifices.  He  acknowledges  the  lord- 
ship and  sovereignty  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth;  his  sovereign 
right  to  direct  him  in  all  his  ways.  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do?"  The  ferocious  Saul  is  sent  to  school  to 
Ananias;  the  raging  tiger,  breathing  out  threatening  and 
slaughter,  is  sent  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  one  of  the  lambs  which 
he  had  been  going  to  Damascus  to  butcher.  We  learn  from 
Ananias'  address  to  him  that  there  were  two  things  which 
Saul  had  to  do.  One  was  to  have  his  sins  washed  away  and 
be  baptized ;  the  other  was  to  be  a  preacher  of  the  gospel. 

To  apply  this  answer  for  our  own  learning  and  guidance, 
it  may  be  generalized  and  stated  in  this  form,  to-wit : 

1.  It  is  every  man's  duty  to  inquire  of  God  in  what  par- 
ticular calling  he  shall  glorify  him.  Of  these  in  their  order. 
As  to  the  general  calling  of  all  men  to  make  the  glory 
of  God  the  supreme  end  of  their  lives,  and  his  will  their 
supreme  law,  I  suppose  it  will  be  conceded  by  all  who  are 
not  atheists.  Sound  reason  is  at  one  -vvdth  Scripture  here. 
God  is  "glorious  in  holiness."  The  infinite,  eternal,  and  un- 
changeable rectitude  of  his  nature  is  that  which  makes  all 
his  other  attributes  glorious.  Infinite,  eternal,  and  unchange- 
able power  in  a  being  who  was  unholy  and  unjust  would 
cover  the  universe  with  a  pall  of  darkness.  God  made  man 
in  his  own  image ;  and  the  true  and  only  glory  of  a  man  is  to 
be  holy  like  God.  The  world  does  not  recognize  this  truth. 
It  worships  mere  power  divorced  from  moral  character.  Its 
heroes  are  heroes  of  force.  It  ofi'ers  sacrifice  and  burns 
incense  to  the  names  of  an  Alexander,  a  Caesar,  a  Napoleon. 
It  thinks  with  Satan  that  "to  be  weak  is  to  be  miserable. 


250  -         Miscellanies. 

doing  or  suffering."  Like  Moloch,  "its  trust  is  with  the  eter- 
nal to  be  deemed  equal  in  strength ;  and  rather  than  be  less, 
cares  not  to  be  at  all."  All  this,  it  is  needless  to  say,  is  con- 
trary to  Scripture.  "Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever 
you  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God."  "Glorify  God  in  your 
body  and  your  spirit,  which  are  God's."  Reason,  as  I  have 
said,  is  here  in  entire  harmony  with  Scripture.  If  God  has 
created  us,  he  has  an  absolute  propriety  in  us.  We  have  no 
right  to  think,  feel,  speak,  or  act,  except  as  he  ordains  or 
permits.  To  be  conformed  to  the  will  of  God  is,  therefore, 
our  highest  duty.  But  it  is  also  our  highest  interest  and 
happiness.  Surely  it  is  our  interest  to  be  guided  by  a  wis- 
dom greater  than  our  own.  The  knowledge  even  of  the 
wisest  of  the  elect  angels  is  a  limited  knowledge,  darkened 
by  no  cloud  of  error,  but  yet  bounded  by  an  horizon.  It  is 
their  happiness  to  stand  in  the  light  of  God's  throne,  to 
receive  his  instructions  and  to  obey  his  will. 

What  shall  we  say,  then,  of  sinful  men  who  are  shrouded 
with  the  mists  of  delusion  and  are  groping  their  way  to  the 
grave  amidst  the  snares  and  pit-falls  of  him  who  was  a  liar 
and  a  murderer  from  the  beginning.  We  are  surrounded  on 
every  hand  with  the  proofs  that  men  need  masters  to  keep 
them  from  ruining  themselves  through  ignorance,  mistakes, 
perverseness,  and  self-will.  Multitudes  do,  in  fact,  ruin  them- 
selves for  this  life,  to  say  nothing  of  eternity,  because  they 
are  their  own  masters  and  are  free  to  do  as  they  please.  It 
is  not  true,  however,  even  in  this  life,  that  we  are  free  to  do 
as  we  please.  The  man  that  acts  on  this  principle  will  be 
sure  to  find  in  the  end  that  he  has  been  wrong.  He  will  en- 
counter a  "reduction  to  absurdity"  of  his  principle  in  the 
frown  of  society,  if  not  in  the  jail  or  the  halter.  Thank  God, 
there  is  a  limit,  even  in  the  case  of  the  most  powerful,  to  this 
liberty  of  man  to  do  as  he  pleases. 

But  the  point  which  I  wish  to  impress  is  that  no  reason 
exists  for  a  man's  seeking  his  own  glory  which  is  not  a  better 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  251 

Teason  for  seeking  the  glory  of  God.     Is  it  because  the  pos^ 
session  of  great  gifts  and  faculties  itself  constitutes  a  call  to 
exhibit  them?     Then,  when  the  man  displays  his  own  intel- 
lect or  power,  it  is  a  very  narrow  intellect  and  a  very  limited 
power  that  he  displays.    When  he  seeks  the  glory  of  God  he 
displays  the  resources  of  an  intellect  and  a  power  which  has 
no  bounds.     The  one  at  its  best  estate  is  but  the  glory  of  a 
lamp ;  the  other  is  the  glory  of  the  starry  heavens  or  of  the  sun 
in  his  meridian  splendor.     If  there  is  any  legitimate  delight 
in  the   admiration  we  feel   for  the  genius  of   Aristotle,   or 
Homer,  or  Shakespeare,  or  Francis  Bacon,  let  us  remember 
that  their  splendid  endowments  were  the  gifts  of  God  and 
but  dim  reflections  of  his  own  infinite  understanding.     That 
this  has  been  acknowledged  by  the  greatest  thinkers  and  dis- 
coverers, the  greatest  poets  and  philosophers,  it  would  be 
vei-y  easy  to  show  by  quotations  from  their  writings.     The 
greatest  minds  have  generally  been  devout  minds,  and  have 
with  appropriate  humihty  acknowledged  God's  goodness  in 
reveahng  to  them  the  truth  which  was  intended  to  bless  their 

race. 

Eemember,  then,  that  the  perfection  and  glory  of  a  man 

consists  in  his  bearing  the  image  of  God.     Man  would  have 

been  thus  glorious  if  he  had  never  fallen,  in  always  bearing 

that  image  and  in  manifesting  its  beauty  and  excellence  more 

and  more  as  his  nature  was  developed.     Now  that  he  is  a 

fallen  creature   to  whom  a  Saviour  has  been  revealed   and 

offered,  he  is  to  seek  and  labor  for  the  recovery  of  that  lost 

inheritance,  for  restoration  to  that  lost  image.    The  true  goal 

of  his  being  is  perfect  and  eternal  conformity  to  the  will  of 

God.     This  is  the  highest  glory  to  which  a  creature  can 

attain;  this  was  the  glory  of  the  only  perfect  man  the  earth 

has  ever  seen  since  the  fall  of  our  first  parent  in  Eden ;  this 

is  the  end  for  which  Jesus  hved,  suffered,  and  died;  for 

which  he  lives  and  reigns  at  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father 

Almighty.     Without  this  restoration  begun  in  us  we  cannot 


252  Miscellanies. 

begin  to  live  aright ;  without  this  restoration  completed  in  us 
we  fall  short  of  consummate  glory  and  felicity.  "Man's  chief 
end  is  to  glorify  God  and  to  enjoy  him  forever."  Ye  in 
whom  this  work  of  restoration  has  not  been  begun,  begin  to 
seek  it  to-day  where  alone  it  can  be  found — in  God.  Arise! 
and  wash  away  your  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord ! 
■  We  come  now  to  consider  the  other  point  mentioned,  to-wit : 
2.  That  it  is  every  man's  duty  to  inquire  in  what  particular 
calling  he  shall  seek  to  glorify  God  and  to  fulfil  his  will. 
And  here  observe,  (a),  That  every  lawful  kind  of  occupation 
or  work  in  this  world  is  acknowledged  by  the  very  language 
that  men  use  to  be  an  occupation  or  a  work,  appointed  to 
them  of  God.  It  is  denominated  a  "vocation,"  or  "calling." 
The  use  of  this  word  is  an  acknowledgment  that  "we  did  not 
come  into  our  work  by  accident;  we  did  not  choose  it  for 
ourselves ;  but,  under  much  which  may  wear  the  appearance 
of  accident  and  self-choosing,  came  to  it  by  God's  leading  and 
appointment.  What  a  help  is  this  thought  to  enable  us  to 
appreciate  justly  the  dignity  of  our  work,  though  it  were  far 
humbler  work,  even  in  the  eyes  of  men,  than  that  of  any  one 
of  us  present!  What  an  assistance  in  calming  unsett'ed 
thoughts  and  desires,  such  as  would  make  us  wish  to  be 
something  else  than  what  we  are !  What  a  source  of  confi- 
dence when  we  are  tempted  to  lose  heart  and  to  doubt 
whether  we  shall  be  able  to  carry  through  our  work  with  any 
blessing  or  profit  to  ourselves  or  others!  It  is  our  'voca- 
tion,' our  'calling,'  and  he  who  called  us  to  it  will  fit  us  for 
it  and  strengthen  us  in  it."  (Trench.)  (b),  That  our  work  has 
been  appointed  of  God  primarily  and  supremely  for  his  own 
glory,  and  in  a  secondary  line  for  our  own  development  and 
improvement — as  his  method  of  discipline  for  us,  to  train  us 
in  obedience  to  his  will  and  to  bring  us  into  entire  conformity 
to  his  image.  The  call  to  love  God  (and,  therefore,  to  serve 
him)  with  all  our  soul  and  strength  is  a  universal  call — it 
comes  to  all  men,  and  not  merely  to  a  recluse  class  named 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  253 

"  the  religious,"  to  monks  and  nuns  who  are  expected  to  do 
th(}  religion  as  ministers  are  expected  to  do  the  preaching,  or 
as  shoemakers  are  expected  to  do  the  shoemaking.  The 
moral  law  is  to  be  fulfilled  by  all.  The  love  which  it  enjoins 
is  to  be  exercised  by  all.  But  the  particular  mode  of  its 
exercise  and  manifestation  will  be  determined  by  the  re- 
lations we  sustain  to  others  in  society,  or,  in  other  words, 
by  our  special  callings.  The  difference  between  the  general 
calling  and  the  special  may  be  illustrated  by  the  difference 
between  a  "liberal"  and  a  "professional"  education.  The 
object  of  a  liberal  education,  that  is,  an  education  in  the 
faculty  of  arts,  is  to  develop  symmetrically  the  man's  powers— 
the  man  himself  is  the  end.  He  is  deemed  a  creature  worthy 
of  being  developed,  even  if  there  be  no  ulterior  end  relating 
to  the  good  of  society.  In  professional  education  the  object 
is  to  fit  the  man  for  some  one  definite  line  of  activity — the  man 
is  considered  as  a  means  to  an  end.  A  liberal  education  is 
common  to  the  lawyer,  the  physician,  and  the  divine;  and 
these  professions  are  the  special  fields  in  which  the  powers 
which  have  been  trained  in  the  faculty  of  arts  are  to  be  exer- 
cised. In  all  our  special  callings  it  is  never  to  be  forgotten 
that  we  are  moral  agents,  responsible  to  God,  bound  to  obey 
his  moral  law  and  to  seek  the  glory  of  his  name  and  the  per- 
fection of  our  nature,  (c),  In  the  next  place  it  must  be  con- 
ceded that  it  is  much  easier  to  ascertain  what  our  general 
calling  is  than  it  is  to  ascertain  our  special  calling.  The 
word  of  God,  supported  and  interpreted  by  reason  and  con- 
science, makes  it  perfectly  plain  that  we  should  devote  our- 
selves to  his  service.  He  that  runneth  may  read.  The  moral 
nature  of  every  man  fits  him  for  this  calling,  and  every  man 
who  is  not  idiotic  or  insane  can  recognize  it  if  he  will. 
There  is  little  difficulty  in  judging  of  ends;  very  great  diffi- 
culty, prior  to  exj)erience,  in  judging  of  the  proper  means  to 
be  used  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  ends.  All  men  see 
that  the  end  of  a  liberal  education  is  to  develop  the  powers 


254  Miscellanies, 

of  the  man,  and  that  the  end  of  a  professional  education  is  to 
make  him  a  dextrous  instrument  for  performing  the  functions 
of  the  particular  profession.  Yet  after  ages  of  experiment 
volumes  continue  to  be  written  upon  the  means  of  attaining 
these  ends.  A  very  plain  man  knows  that  government  ought 
to  be  administered  for  the  good  of  the  governed.  It  demands 
a  statesmanship  enlightened  bj  philosophy  and  history,  a 
statesmanship  of  the  wisest  and  most  comprehensive  sort,  to 
construct  a  frame  of  government  which  shall  accomplish  that 
end.  It  is  easier  to  draw  a  bill  of  rights  than  to  frame  a 
constitution.  So  a  man  must  have  a  more  thorough  know- 
ledge of  himself,  of  his  capacity  and  his  ability,  than  men 
generally  possess  in  order  to  determine  in  what  sphere  of 
activity  he  can  best  fulfil  the  great  end  of  his  being.  Saul  of 
Tarsus  could  not  be  in  much  doubt  that  the  end  of  his  being 
was  to  glorify  God  by  doing  his  will.  The  Old  Testament 
taught  him  that.  But  that  he  was  to  be  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel,  that  he  was  "  a  chosen  vessel  to  bear  the  name  of  Christ 
before  the  Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  children  of  Israel," 
was  not  so  clear.  Nay,  he  was  so  possessed  of  conviction, 
even  after  his  calling  as  a  preacher  had  been  made  clear  to 
him,  that  he  was  eminently  fitted  to  preach  to  the  Jews,  that 
he  ventured  to  argue  the  point  with  his  Master,  and  had  to 
be  cut  short  with  the  peremptory  command,  "Depart!  for  I 
will  send  thee  far  hence  to  the  Gentiles."  (Acts  xxii. 
17-21.) 

It  becomes,  then,  a  question  of  great  perplexity  sometimes, 
"What  shall  I  do.  Lord?"  A  special  supernatural  answer 
to  this  question  is  not  to  be  expected  now  as  in  the  days  of 
Paul.  All  are  not  called  to  be  apostles.  All  are  not  called 
to  be  preachers.  Women  constitute  one-half  of  the  human 
race  and  much  more  than  one-half,  probably,  of  the  church  j 
and  yet  they  are  debarred  by  God's  special  statute  from  be- 
ing preachers.  All  men  are  not  called  to  be  preachers.  God 
needs  ruling  elders  and  deacons  as  well  as  ministers  of  the 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts,  255 

word.     The  state  as  well  as  the  church  is  ordained  of  God  ; 
and  he  wants  Christian  men  in  the  executive  chairs,  in  the 
halls  of  legislation,  and  in  the  courts  of  justice.     The  com- 
plicated organism  of  society  demands  innumerable  workmen 
in  the  professions,  trades,  and  arts,  whose  work  is  incompati- 
ble with  the  entire  consecration  to  one  great  end  which  the 
ministry  of  the  gospel  demands.      The  seraphic  zeal  and 
mighty  faith  of  Paul  might  make  him  equal  to  the  task  of 
preaching   all  day  and  making  tents   all  night;    but  there 
never  was  but  one  Paul.     God  calls  some  men  now  to  eke  out 
the  slender  salary  which  they  get  as  pastors  by  some  avoca- 
tion from  their  proper  work,  by  teaching  or  farming  or  trad- 
ing; but  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  it  proves  an  avoca- 
tion  indeed,  a  turning  aside  of  the  minister  from  his  vocation. 
We  repeat  it,  theu,  all  men  cannot  be  preachers.     God  has 
ordained  them.     God  calls  for  them.     The  church  calls  for 
them.      A  perishing  heathen  world   calls  for  them.      Does 
God  call  for  any  of  you,  my  brethren?     I  ask  not  the  young 
men  only,  vv^ho  have  their  life-work  yet  to  choose,  but  those 
also  who  are  engaged,  and  it  may  be  have  been  engaged  for 
many  years,  in  other  pursuits.     It  does  not  follow,  because 
you  are  a  lawyer  or  a  physician  or  a  merchant  or  a  farmer, 
that  you  are  not  called  to  forsake  the  office,  the  counting- 
room,  the  field,  in  order  to  serve  Christ  in  the  pulpit.     The 
first  preachers  of  the  gospel  were  called  from  the  fisherman's 
boat  and  from  the  tax-collector's  office ;  and  in  all  the  ages 
since  some  of  the  most  shining  ornaments  of  the  pulpit  have 
been  those  who  had  previously  adorned  other  professions. 
A  scholastic  education  is  not  the  only  effective   education. 
Providence  often  calls  a  man  to  the  exercise  of  one  profes- 
sion in  order  to  fit  him  for  another.     Even  the  lowly  bench 
of  the  cobbler  has  been  a  step  to  the  lofty  place  of  an  ambas- 
sador of  the  King  of  kings.     In  the  nature  of  the  case,  how- 
ever, the   ranks  of  the    ministry  must  be  recruited  mainly 
from  those  who  have  not  begun  the  practice  of  some  other 


■256  Miscellanies. 

calling ;  and  it  is  to  this  class  I  speak  particularly  while  I 
proceed  to  state  some  things  which  may  help  them  to  a  solu- 
tion of  the  question,  Am  I  called  to  preach  the  gospel? 

(1),  There  is  always  a  presumption  in  favor  of  the  gospel 
ministry  as  the  special  calling  in  which  the  great  ends  of  our 
general  calling  may  be  best  attained — the  glorifying  of  God, 
the  doing  good  to  men,  the  perfecting  of  our  own  nature. 
The  end  of  the  moral  agent  and  the  end  of  the  special  worker 
here  coincide. 

(2),  Consider  your  gifts  and  opportunities  ;  and  as  a  man 
is  not  the  best  judge  in  his  own  cause,  call  in  the  aid  of 
judicious  Christian  friends,  of  ministers  and  of  the  other 
officers  of  the  church,  and  let  them  judge.  Let  parents, 
teachers  and  church  officers  "look  out"  from  among  their 
wards  those  Avho  have  received  gifts  from  God  which  fit 
them  to  preach.  (See  Acts  vi.  3.)  The  same  process  is  ap- 
plicable to  elders  and  ministers  as  well  as  to  deacons.  The 
call  is  the  same  in  all — by  the  Holy  Ghost,  through  the 
church.  But  it  may  be  asked,  what  are  the  gifts  and  qualifi- 
cations which  are  to  guide  the  church  and  the  inquirer  him- 
self? 

I  answer,  (a),  First  and  foremost,  piety  towards  God.  A 
man  cannot  understand  the  word  of  God  unless  he  be  a  re- 
generate man  ;  the  power  of  a  minister  is  a  raoral  power,  not 
like  the  power  of  o,  priest,  which  is  legal,  (b).  Good  sense, 
both  capacity  and  "common  sense."  Men  who  have  only 
uncotnrtion  sense  are  not  particularly  needed  in  the  ministry, 
(c),  Such  a  faculty  of  speech  and  such  an  amount  of  self- 
possession  as  are  necessary  to  speaking  in  public.  This  I 
need  not  insist  on,  for  there  are  very  few  men  who  have 
something  to  say  that  cannot  say  it,  or,  if  it  has  to  be  said  in 
public,  cannot  be  trained  to  say  it  in  public. 

(3),  Above  all,  pray  to  be  guided  of  God,  who  alone  can 
effectually  call. 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  257 


ACTS  xxvi.  24,  25.' 

*' And  as  he  thus  spake  for  himself,  Festus  said  with  a  loud  voice,  Paul, 
thou  art  beside  thyself;  much  learning  doth  make  thee  mad.  But  he  said,  I 
am  not  mad,  most  noble  Festus ;  but  speak  forth  the  words  of  truth  and 
soberness." 

Notice  the  connection :  an  account  of  the  miraculous  con- 
version of  Paul  and  of  his  call  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 
That  wonderful  transformation  in  the  nature,  character,  and 
life  of  the  apostle,  whose  reality  he  so  temperately,  yet  so 
decidedly,  asserts  and  vindicates  in  the  presence  of  Festus 
and  Agrippa,  was  no  mere  transition  by  baptism,  or  any 
other  rite  administered  by  human  hands,  from  the  world  to 
the  visible  church,  or  from  one  church  organization  to  an- 
other ;  he  had  been  a  Pharisee,  but  had  now  discovered  that 
ecclesiastical  rites  and  ceremonies  were  a  very  poor  founda- 
tion for  a  sinner's  confidence,  and  that  no  external  ]3i'ivileges 
whatever,  not  even  an  unquestionable  and  unexceptionable 
succession  in  a  right  line  from  Abraham,  the  father  of  all  the 
faithful,  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles,  could  divest  him 
of  his  personal  responsibility  or  qualify  him  to  meet  it ;  and 
as  it  was  not  baptismal  regeneration,  so  it  was  not  a  mere 
change  in  the  governing  purposes  of  his  life  or  an  outward 
reformation  to  be  effected  by  the  "will  of  man,"  or  the  "will 
of  the  flesh,"  or  by  the  eloquent  persuasion  and  earnest 
remonstrances  of  teachers  of  morality,  or  by  a  heroic  effort 
of  his  own  will.  No !  no !  no !  This  new  birth  is  something 
more,  it  is  a  new  nature,  new  susceptibilities,  new  activities, 
the  opening  of  the  eye,  the  unstopping  of  the  ear,  the  cast- 
ing out  of  the  unclean  spirit,  life  to  the  dead.  It  is  a  new 
creation,  and  the  Christian  is  a  new  man,  "the  image  and 
glory  of  God."  It  was  with  the  pulsations  of  such  a  life 
beating  full  and  strong  within  him  that  Paul  stood  before  the 
representatives  of  the  proudest  empire  on  earth  and  rea- 

'  Preached  in  1852. 
17 


258  Miscellanies. 

soned  with  them  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment 
to  come.  But  how  was  his  appeal  received  ?  With  a  charge 
ot  madness.  "Festus  said  with  a  loud  voice,"  etc.,  etc.  The 
evident  superiority  of  Paul  in  intellect  and  attainments,  his 
high-sustained  and  consistent  earnestness,  combined  with  tho 
Roman  governor's  own  self-respect,  preserved  the  apostle 
from  the  imputation  of  a  low,  vulgar,  ignorant  fanaticism. 
"Too  much  learning  hath  made  thee  mad."  "Thou  art 
beside  thyself,"  from  too  long  and  too  exclusive  meditation 
upon  the  sin  and  misery  of  man ;  your  earnest  longings  after 
the  restoration  of  the  race  have  projected  themselves  upon 
the  outward  world,  and  now  present  themselves  to  your 
heated  fancy  as  the  realities  of  fact."  There  is  no  charge 
of  imposture,  but  only  of  delusion.  And  Paul,  in  reply, 
repels  the  charge  by  asserting  his  sincerity  and  his  soberness. 
"I  am  not  mad,"  etc. 

Now,  all  true  Christians  who  have  anything  like  the  single- 
ness of  purpose  and  active  zeal  of  the  apostle  stand  in  a 
similar  attitude  at  the  bar  of  the  world — an  attitude  of  de- 
fence under  the  imputation  of  enthusiasm  and  fanaticism,  if 
not  of  madness.  The  same  power  required  now  to  call  men 
out  of  darkness  into  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God;  to  appoint  them  to  the  office  of  ambassador  of  Jesus 
and  to  prepare  them  for  the  exercise  of  its  functions.  Not 
that  the  same  extraordinary  circumstances  must  attend  it, 
the  light  surpassing  the  splendors  of  the  sun,  the  voice  from 
within  the  vail  speaking  in  tones  of  thunder  to  our  hearts, 
trembling  in  conscious  guilt,  and  astonished  at  the  sudden 
and  overwhelming  manifestation  of  the  majesty  of  the  judge; 
but  the  same  work  must  be  done  upon  our  hearts,  a  work 
which  is  beyond  the  power  of  human  agency  or  any  combi- 
nation of  human  agencies  to  achieve.  Christ  must  be  re- 
vealed within  us,  or  we  must  lie  down  forever  in  ruin  aud 
despair.  We  acknowledge  that  we  hope  that  we  have  been 
the  subjects  of  this  stupendous  change,  and  propose,  witli 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  259 

your  leave,  to  defend  ourselves  against  the  accusation  of 
Lthusiasm  and  fanaticism  by  showing  that  we  ''speak  the 
words  of  truth  and  soberness." 

I    And  first  as  to  the  meanincj  of  the  charge.     Very  tew 
men  who  use  the  words  take  the  trouble  to  ascertain  what 
they  mean.     They  only  know  them  to  be  signs  of  reproach 
and  this  is  enough  for  their  purpose,  which  is  to  jushf y 
themselves  in  their  neglect  of  spiritual  religion,  and  indulge 
their  vanity  by  challenging  for  tl--f -^  1-^^  -;^4^:;^ 
of   sober   reason   than   belongs  to   the    church.     The   teim 
"enthusiasm"  in  the  language  from  which  it  was  derived 
very  nearly  corresponded  with  our  word  "inspiration        its 
etymology  implies  some  powerful  opemtion  o    the  divinity 
upon  the  souf,  producing  an  agitation  of  the  bodily  frame. 
It  was  afterwards  used  in  much  the  same  sense  ^s  we  use  the 
word  "genius"  when  we  speak  of  the  sublime  and  beautiful 
creations   of  the  poet,   the  fascinating  performances   of  an 
orator,  the  breathing  statuary  of  the  sculptor,  or  the  speaking 
canvas  of  the  painter,  as  the  works  of  genius      ^  e  are  con- 
scious that  these  endowments,  so  splendid  m  themselves  and 
so  striking  in  their  effects,  are  not  to  be  acquired  by  any 
labor,  but  are  the  gifts  of  God.     The  fire  on  the  al  ar  can  be 
kept  alive  and  increased,  but  it  must  in  the  first  place  come 
down  from  heaven.     Gifts  of  genius  may  be  cultivated  and 
improved  by  industry,  but  not  acquired.     A  poet  or  a  painter 
is  lorn,  not  made.     It  was  also  used  to  denote  any  measure 
of  fervor   or  interest  in  a  pursuit  greater  than  that  which 
was  generally  exhibited  by  the  class,  or  than  sober  reason 
calmly  estimating  the  nature  and  importance  of  the  subject, 
would  iustify.     Thus  we  speak  of  an  enthusiastic  lawyer  or 
physician  or  advocate  of  temperance.      Enthusiasm  in  this 
sense  has  a  meaning  something  like  monomania.     This  is  the 
meaning,  I  think,  in  which  it  is  most  generally  used  m  regard 
to  religion.      When  used  by  itself,  or  when  the  distinction 
between  that  and  fanaticism  is  observed,   which  is  seldom 


260  Miscellanies. 

the  case.  Fanaticism  comes  from  the  Latin,  as  the  other 
from  the  Greek,  and  implies,  like  it,  some  intimate  inter- 
course with  the  deity,  "Fanaticus"  is  a  priest,  an  officer 
about  the  shrine.  In  common  parlance  it  conveys  the  idea 
of  pretension  to  extraordinary  intercourse  with  the  deity,  to 
the  possession  of  new  revelations  of  his  will,  together  with 
sinister  intent.  When  the  words  are  used  together  they 
generally  imply  an  imputation  of  unwarranted  and  indefensi- 
ble pretension  to  intercourse  with  God,  and  a  consciousness 
that  the  pretension  is  unwarranted  and  indefensible ;  that  is 
both  delusion  and  imposture.  In  the  very  mildest  sense  in 
which  the  words  are  used  together,  they  imply  that  the 
persons  of  whom  they  are  used  are  deluded  with  the  fancy 
that  God  has  been  working  with  them  in  some  unusual  way, 
when  all  their  impressions  can  be  accounted  for  by  natural 
causes  in  uniform  operation. 

In  defending  ourselves,  therefore,  against  this  charge  we 
have  to  show  that  the  doctrine  of  regeneration  is  sustained 
both  by  Scripture  and  by  reason,  and  then  that  Christians 
are  competent  and  credible  witnesses  of  such  a  work  having 
been  performed  upon  them.  The  first  will  show  that  the 
claim  to  having  been  the  subject  in  a  special  and  super- 
natural way  of  the  operation  of  God  is  not  unwarranted ;  and 
the  second  will  vindicate  the  sincerity  and  soberness  of  those 
who  make  the  claim  (making  allowance,  of  course,  in  this 
as  in  all  things,  for  hypocrisy  and  self-deception,  for  there 
are  pretenders  in  everything).     Then, 

II,  Refute  the  charge  by  showing,  first,  from  the  state- 
ments and  promises  of  Scripture  the  necessity  and  actuality 
of  such  a  work  of  God  upon  the  soul,  not  a  work  of  "  moral 
suasion,"  but  a  "  new  creation."  Second,  From  the  law  of  ada;p- 
tation  in  the  universe,  the  necessity  of  such  a  change  in  man  in 
order  to  enjoy  God  as  his  satisfying  portion.  Induction,  not 
to  say  Scripture,  will  establish  the  fact  of  total  depravity  and 
alienation  from  God.      Third,  The  analogies  of  nature,  the 


Briefs  and  Sermons  on  the  Acts.  261 

production  of  new  forms  of  life  by  the  immediate  interposi- 
tion of  the  power  of  God.  "Transmutation  of  speeies" 
generally  exploded ;  geologists  acknowledge  the  necessity  of 
successive  creations.  Is  there  anything  unreasonable  in  saying 
that  God  may  interpose  to  create  a  neiv  spiritual  life  amid 
the  ruins  of  the  old?  (See  McCosh,  p.  166.)  There  is  no 
appearance  of  impossibility,  or  of  improbability,  in  the  thing 
from  reason,  but  the  contrary.  "Bui,  fourth,  These  very  men 
who  call  us  fanatics  admit  the  principle  which  constitutes  the 
gist  of  the  difficulty  in  the  doctrine  of  regeneration,  and  that 
is  the  direct  and  immediate  exercise  of  God  on  the  soul. 
Witness  the  prayers  of  poets,  orators,  painters,  yea,  and 
even  mathematicians,  for  divine  illumination  and  direction. 
And  how  could  such  prayers  be  answered  except  by  a  direct 
action  of  God  on  the  soul?  Fifth,  There  are  credible  and 
competent  witnesses  of  such  a  work  having  been  done.  Take 
one  single  case,  that  of  Paul  in  the  text,  and  show  how  all 
the  elements  of  credibility  and  competency  unite  in  his  case. 
Is  there  a  man  on  earth  who  will  compare  the  character  of 
Paul  before  and  after  his  conversion,  and  not  be  compelled, 
u.pon  the  principles  of  induction,  to  conclude  that  there  was 
a  new  creation  of  the  man?  And  one  case  is  enough  for  the 
argument ;  we  are  not  contending  that  there  never  have  been 
fanatical  pretenders  to  regeneration,  but  that  fanaticism  does 
not  belong  to  the  doctrine. 

III.  Iraprovement.  The  great  day  will  decide  who  are  the 
madmen,  which  was  "beside  himself,"  Paul  or  Festus;  nay, 
the  flames  of  hell  have  already  decided. 


SERMONS  REFERRED  TO  IK  THE  SERMON  BRIEFS 

ON  ACTS. 


1  THESS.  ii.  13.1 


"  For  this  cause  also  thank  we  God  without  ceasing,  because,  when  ye 
received  the  word  of  God  which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye  received  it  not  as  the 
word  of  men,  but,  as  it  is  in  trutli,  tlie  word  of  God,  wliich  effectually  work- 
eth  also  in  you  that  believe." 

The  question  as  to  the  reception  of  the  Scriptures  as  a 
divine  and  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice  involves  three 
important  points :  (1),  The  formal  ground  or  reason  of  our 
believing  it  to  be  the  word  of  God.  (2),  The  instrumentality 
through  which  it  is  presented  and  recommended  to  us  as  the 
word  of  God.  (3),  The  efficient  agency  by  which  we  believe, 
or  are  enabled  to  receive  the  word  of  God  as  such.  In  other 
words  (to  use  the  terminology  of  the  scholastic  divines),  we 
are  required  to  investigate  the  "for  what,"  the  "through 
what,"  and  the  "by  what"  {propter  quod,  per  quod,  and  a 
quo),  which  are  the  essential  conditions  of  our  faith,  its  for- 
mal, instrumental,  and  efficient  causes.  These  three  points 
are  brought  out  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  sections  of  the  first 
chapter  of  the  Confession  of  Faith.  (1),  The  formal  cause, 
reason  or  ground  of  our  receiving  the  Holy  Scripture,  for 
which  it  ought  to  be  believed  and  obeyed,  is  the  fact  that  it 
is  the  word  of  God,  who  is  truth  itself.  (2),  The  instrument- 
ality through  which  we  receive  it  is  the  testimony  of  man, 
and  especially  that  testimony  as  given  by  the  church:  "We 
may  be  moved  and  induced,"  etc.     (3),  The  efficient  agent  by 

^  Preached  December  9,  1852. 
262 


Sermons  Keferred  to  in  Briefs  on  Acts.  263 

■which  faith  is  produced  is  "the  Holy  Ghost  witnessing  by 
and  with  the  word  in  our  hearts."  All  points  of  immense 
importance  and  in  regard  to  which  there  are  great  and  dan- 
gerous errors  prevailing. 

I  propose  on  this  occasion  to  confine  my  attention  to  the 
first,  which  is  contained  in  the  positive  part  of  the  fourth  sec- 
tion, leaving  the  negative  part  in  reference  to  the  testimony 
of  the  church  till  we  come  to  the  consideration  of  the  second 
point,  the  instrumental  or  ministerial  cause  of  our  belief. 
Read  the  section  and  state  distinctly  the  point.  In  stating 
the  point,  distinguish  carefully  between  the  testimony  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  word  and  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in  the  heart, 
enabling  us  to  believe.  The  first  is  properly  a  testimony,  the 
other  a  work.  It  is  said,  indeed,  in  the  fifth  section,  that  the 
Spirit  "witnesseth"  in  our  hearts,  but  the  witness  is  alto- 
gether independent  of  and  different  from  his  testimony  in 
the  word  as  the  source  of  inspiration  to  "holy  men  of  old"; 
and  it  is  expressly  called  the  ^'inward  work"  as  distinct 
from  the  external  rule  of  the  word.  It  is  only  by  observing 
this  distinction  that  we  can  clearly  apprehend  the  difference 
between  the  statements  of  the  fourth  and  fifth  sections,  which, 
to  most  readers,  I  suppose,  appear  very  much  the  same. 
The  first  is  properly  the  evidence  ;  the  second  is  the  work  in 
us  hy  which  loe  are  enabled  to  receive  it.  The  first  is  the 
light ;  the  second  is  the  opening  of  the  eye. 

It  is  this  point  which  now  demands  our  attention  :  that 
the  evidence  upon  which  our  faith  rests  as  to  the  divine 
origin  of  the  Scriptures  is  contained  in  the  word  itself ;  the 
Bible  is  its  own  witness ;  like  the  great  central  luminary  of 
the  natural  world,  it  is  its  own  evidence.  This  is  implied  in 
the  text,  where  (1),  The  Thessalonian  Christians  are  com- 
mended because  they  received  the  spoken  or  oral  communica- 
tions of  the  apostle,  not  as  the  word  of  man,  but  as  the  word 
of  God;  (2),  The  word  manifested  itself  to  be  such  by  its 
effects  in  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  those  who  received 


264  Miscellanies. 

it :  "Effectually  worketli  in  you  that  believe."  No  one  can 
doubt  of  the  sun  being  the  sun  while  its  glorious  light  is 
beaming  into  the  eyes,  and  the  whole  physical  frame  is 
warmed  and  animated  by  its  genial  heat.  The  same  thing 
may,  of  course,  be  affirmed  of  the  written  word. 

This  is  a  doctrine  so  hard  to  be  received,  so  contrary  to 
the  common  opinions  and  prejudices  of  men,  that  it  will  be 
necessary  to  show  by  other  passages  of  Scripture  that  it  is, 
nevertheless,  the  doctrine  of  the  Scripture. 

I.  Scripture  proof:  Deut.  xxxi.  11-13 — the  circumstance 
to  be  insisted  on  in  this  passage  is  that  not  only  the  genera- 
tion which  knew  the  miracles,  but  their  children  who  have 
not  '^ knoion  anything,'''  are  required  to  receive  the  law  of 
Moses  as  the  law  of  God.  "  That  which,"  says  Owen  {^Reason 
of  Faith,  Vol.  III.  of  works,  p.  314),  "  by  the  appointment  of 
God  is  to  be  pi'oposed  to  them  that  know  nothing  that  they 
may  believe,  that  is  unto  them  the  formal  reason  of  their 
believing."  But  this  is  the  written  word,  "Thou  shalt  read 
this  law,"  etc.  (Jer.  xxiii.  28,  29),  where  the  people  are  re- 
quired to  arbitrate  among  conflicting  pretensions  of  prophets, 
and  the  question  is  to  be  settled  by  looking  at  the  nature  and 
effects  of  the  two  revelations.  Many  of  the  prophets  worked 
no  miracles,  and  gave  no  other  external  evidence  of  their 
commission.  The  word  of  the  Lord  by  their  mouth  must 
have  been  its  own  evidence.  Luke  xvi.  27-31,  where  "  the 
question  is  about  sufficient  evidence  and  efficacy  to  cause  us 
to  believe  things  divine  and  supernatural,  and  this  is  deter- 
mined to  be  in  the  written  word,  Moses  and  the  prophets. 
He  that  will  not  believe  on  the  single  evidence  of  the  written 
word  to  be  from  God,  or  a  divine  revelation  of  his  will,  will 
never  believe  upon  the  evidence  of  miracles,  nor  any  other 
motives,  than  that  written  word  contains  in  itself  the  entire 
formal  reason  of  faith,  or  all  that  evidence  of  the  authority 
and  truth  of  God  in  it  which  faith  divine  and  supernatural 
rests  upon;  that  is,  it  is  to  be  believed  for  its   own   sake." 


Sermons  Keferred  to  in  Briefs  on  Acts.  265 

(Owen,  ut  supra  cit.)  2  Peter  i,  15-21,  where  the  sure  word 
of  prophecy  is  represented  as  an  adequate  source  of  evidence 
to  those  who  were  not  eye-witnesses  of  the  testimony  of  the 
Father  given  to  him  on  the  mount.  Kom.  xvi.  25,  26,  where 
the  obedience  of  faith  is  required  simply  upon  the  ground  of 
God's  command,  contained  in  the  writings  of  prophets  and 
apostles :  "Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word 
of  God."  1  John  V.  9 — what  is  the  testimony  of  one  man 
worth  if  he  must  be  endorsed  by  another?  It  is  the  testi- 
mony of  the  endorser  which  is  really  relied  on.  How  much 
worse  is  it  to  say  that  the  testimony  of  God  cannot  be  re- 
ceived without  endorsement? 

II.  This  self-evidencing  property  of  the  word  of  God 
manifests  itself  in  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  men  :  "Effect- 
ually working  in  you  that  believe."  Give  some  further  scrip- 
tural proof  of  this  point  beside  that  contained  in  the  text. 
1  Cor.  xiv.  24,  25 — beside  the  power  of  the  word  here  as- 
serted in  revealing  the  secrets  of  the  hearts,  notice  the  fact 
that  the  apostle  is  here  commending  the  interpretation  of 
the  word  as  against  or  preferable  to  the  exercise  of  miracu- 
lous gifts  in  the  conviction  of  men.  What  an  emphatic  testi- 
mony to  its  self-evidencing  power!  Heb.  iv.  12 — it  is  true 
that  it  is  the  personal  Word  who  is  here  spoken  of ;  but  these 
effects  are  produced  through  the  spoken  or  written  word. 
Compare  the  account  in  John  iv.,  specially  verses  29,  41,  42. 
No  miracles  visible  to  the  eye  were  done  on  this  occasion 
by  the  Saviour. 

Illustrate  further  by  the  conviction  and  conversion,  the 
sanctification  and  comforting  of  believers  by  the  word.  It  is 
admitted  that  all  this  is  evidence  only  to  the  individual  who 
is  the  subject  of  the  experience.  But  so  it  is  with  the  sun  ; 
my  eyes  are  no  rule  for  other  men  ;  if  they  do  not  see  for 
themselves  there  is  no  help  for  it.  Point  out  the  principles 
of  our  nature  upon  which  this  self-evidencing  property  of 
the  Bible  depends.     (See  Owen,  ut  supra.) 


266  Miscellanies. 

There  are  three  sources  of  knowledge  in  the  human  under- 
standing: (1),  Intuition.  (2),  Demonstration  and  probable 
reasoning.  (3),  Faith.  Show  how  God  addresses  himself  to 
all  these.  The  Bible  is  addressed  to  faith,  because  it  is  a 
testimony.  Dwell  upon  the  instinct  of  faith  as  exhibited  in 
childhood.  Experience  does  not  strengthen  it,  but  justifies 
or  modifies  it.  God  witnessing  in  his  word  would  be  imme- 
diately believed  by  all  men,  just  as  a  child  believes  its  father 
without  knowing  why,  if  men  were  not  fallen.  All  that  men 
wovild  then  be  required  to  do  would  be  by  a  subsequent 
power  of  reflection  to  justify  their  faith  sci  entlficalhj  or  upon 
rational  grounds.     (See  Owen,  p.  323.) 

Illustrate  by  the  manner  in  which  God  reveals  himself 
through  intuition  and  reasoning  in  the  works  of  creation  and 
providence.  All  our  arguments  in  natural  theology  and  reli- 
gion go  no  fai-ther  than  to  justify  reflexlvely  the  sentiments 
and  impressions  natural  to  men.  No  atheist  could  be  con- 
vinced. 

III.  The  Bible  demands  the  assent  of  all  men,  learned  and 
unlearned,  and  therefore  must  contain  its  own  evidence. 

IV.  Improvement.  (1),  We  see  how  simple  and  ignorant 
believers  become  assured  of  the  truth  of  the  Bible,  though 
they  never  look  into  a  treatise  on  the  evidences  of  revela- 
tion. (2),  We  see  how  it  is  that  men  cannot  help  being  afraid 
of  the  Bible  even  while  they  hate  it.  It  bears  the  impress  of 
the  authority  and  majesty  of  God,  and  their  eonsciences  re- 
spond to  the  testimony.     (See  2  Cor.  v.  11.) 


EOMANS   iii.    1,  2.' 


"What  advantage  then  hath  the  Jew?  ....  Much  every  way:  chiefly 
because  that  unto  them  were  committed  the  oracles  of  God." 

The  terms  "canon  of  Scripture,"  "canonical  authority," 
etc., "are  in  common  use,  but  they  are  often  employed  with- 

'  Preached  November  21,  1852. 


Sermons  Eeferred  to  in  Briefs  on  Acts.  267 

out  any  very  definite  meaning  being  attached  to  them,  and 
still  oftener  without  any  knowledge  of  the  origin  of  the  terms. 
I  propose,  therefore,  on  the  present  occasion  to  make  some  re- 
marks on  this  subject  with  particular  reference  to  the  canoni- 
cal authority  of  the  books  commonly  called  the  Apocrypha, 
which  are  bound  up  with  many  editions  of  our  English  Bible, 
though  printed  in  smaller  type  to  indicate  that  they  do  not 
stand  upon  the  same  footing  with  the  books  of  the  Bible. 
(See  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  I.,  Sec.  3.) 

I.  The  term  canoii  is  Greek,  and  was  employed  by  the 
classical  writers  in  that  language  to  denote  "everything  by 
which  the  quantity,  weight,  length,  breadth,  or  straightness 
of  anything  was  estimated  and  ascertained."  Thus  it  was 
appHed  to  a  measuring-cord  used  by  mechanics,  a  plumb- 
Hne  for  example.  The  word  is  used  in  one  of  the  Greek 
translations  of  Job'  to  express  the  Hebrew  term  rendered 
"  line"  in  chap,  xxxviii.  5.  It  was  also  appUed  to  the  '•  tongue 
or  middle  of  a  balance,"  whose  perpendicular  position  indi- 
cated an  equilibrium.  Also  in  Homer  to  denote  a  measuring 
reed.  It  was  also  used  among  the  Greeks  to  designate  "the 
man  who  is  followed  as  a  certain  leader  or  ruler."  In  the 
New  Testament  it  is  found  five  times.  (.2  Cor.  x.  13,  15,  16; 
Gal.  vi.  16 ;  Phil.  iii.  16.)  The  reigning  idea,  it  will  be  per- 
ceived, in  all  these  places  is  that  of  a  rule  or  standard.  The 
reason  of  its  use  in  reference  to  the  Bible,  then,  is  obvious 
enough.  It  is  because  the  Bible  is  the  rule  of  faith  and 
manners  to  the  human  race. 

II.  The  mithorUy  of  the  Bible  as  a  rule  depends  upon  the 
fact  that  it  was  given  by  the  inspiration  of  God,  or,  according 
to  the  view  which  I  have  given  in  previous  lectures  of  the 
nature  of  inspiration  (see  sermon  on  2  Tim.  iii.  16^),  upon 
the  fact  that  it  is  the  very  tcord  of  God.  God  is  alone  Lord 
of  the  understanding  and  the  will  and  the  conscience  of 
man,  and  his  voice  alone  is  clothed^with^uthority.  No 
1  Aquila's.  *  This  follows  immediately  in  this  volume. 


268  Miscellanies. 

man,  nor  church,  can  prescribe  to  us  what  is  to  be  believed 
or  done. 

III.  The  canon  of  the  Bible  was  gradually  formed.  (See 
Heb.  i.  1.)  God  spoke  at  "sundry  times"  as  well  as  in 
"divers  manners."  Star  after  star  appeared  in  the  glorious 
canopy  of  heaven  which  covered  the  dark  and  tempestuous 
ocean  of  human  life  till  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  arose,  till 
God  "spoke  in  these  last  days  by  his  Son,"  Jesus  Christ. 
Every  prophet,  every  book,  claiming  inspiration  had  to  be 
submitted  to  the  private  judgment  of  every  individual  whose 
understandiug,  will,  and  conscience  it  challenged  the  right  to 
regulate  and  control,  and  when  its  inspiration  was  ascertained 
it  became  a  part  of  the  canon  or  rule,  for  that  very  reason 
and  no  other.  No  church  can  authoritatively  declare  a  book 
to  be  inspired,  and,  therefore,  no  church  can  authoritatively 
pronounce  a  book  to  be  canonical.  It  may  declare  or  con- 
fess its  faith  in  the  inspiration  or  canonical  authority  of 
certain  books,  as  is  done  by  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
chapter  of  the  Confession  already  cited ;  but  it  must  be  left 
to  each  individual  man  to  determine,  under  his  personal 
responsibility,  whether  that  faith  is,  or  is  not,  sustained  by 
the  evidence  in  the  case. 

IV.  The  shortest  way  to  settle  the  inspiration  or  the  canoni- 
cal authority  of  the  Old  Testament  is  first  to  settle  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  New.  If  it  can  then  be  shown  that  the  Old 
Testament  as  we  now  have  it  is  the  same  as  it  was  in  the 
days  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  containing  no  more  and  no 
less,  and  that  Christ  and  his  apostles  approved  and  sanc- 
tioned the  Old  Testament,  or  the  Jewish  canon,  as  it  then 
stood,  it  follows  that  we  are  bound  to  receive  that  canon,  no 
more  and  no  less,  and  the  proof  of  these  points  we  proceed 
very  briefly  to  indicate  : 

(1),  That  the  canon  of  the  Old  Testament  was  the  same  in 
the  days  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  as  now,  evident  from  the 
enumeration  of  the  books  in  contemporary  Jewish  authors — 


Sermons  Eeferred  to  in  Briefs  on  Acts.  269 

Josephus  and  Philo.  A  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  Saddu- 
cees  rejected  all  but  the  Pentateuch,  Show  how  this  error 
originated.  Our  Saviour  does  not  confine  his  scriptural  argu- 
ment to  the  books  of  Moses  because  his  adversaries  received 
no  other,  but  because  their  argument  against  the  resurrection 
was  drawn  from  those  books.  (Matt.  xxii.  23-33.)  The 
Samaritans,  indeed,  rejected  all  but  the  Pentateuch,  but  they 
are  rebuked  for  their  ignorance  and  infidelity  by  the  Saviour 
in  John  iv.  22. 

(2),  Christ  and  his  apostles  sanctioned  the  canon  as  then 
existing.  Proved,  first,  from  their  citing  that  collection  of 
writings  under  the  style  and  title  then  used,  "the  Scripture," 
"  the  Scriptures  "  ;  using,  also,  the  division  of  these  writings  in 
common  use,  "Law  and  Prophets,"  "the  Law,  the  Prophets 
and  the  Psalms,"  etc.,  which  were  designations  just  as  specific 
and  distinctive  as  "the  Bible,"  "the  Scriptures,"  "the  Old 
Testament,"  "the  New  Testament,"  "the  Gospels,"  "the 
Epistles,"  etc.,  we  now  use  as  we  wish  to  refer  either  to  the 
whole  or  a  part  of  the  acknowledged  standard  of  our  faith. 
Second,  From  their  citing  these  books  as  of  authority  to 
decide  matters  of  faith  and  practice.  I  need  not  cite  ex- 
amples. In  all  places  where  the  Old  Testament  is  cited  at 
all  it  is  cited  in  this  way.  See  the  whole  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews ;  see  also  2  Tim.  iii.  16 ;  see  the  text  in  which  they 
are  expressly  called  the  '^  oracles  oi  God."  Meaning  of  the 
term  "  oracles."  (Compare  2  Tim.  iii.  16.)  Notice  also  the 
fact  that  our  Lord  and  his  apostles  uniformly  in  their  exposi- 
tion of  the  gospel  represent  it  as  a  development  or  comple- 
tion of  the  law  as  contained  in  the  Old  Testament. 

V.  Evident,  then,  that  the  Apocrypha  is  no  part  of  the 
canon  of  the  Old  Testament.  Because,  (1),  Unto  the  Jews 
were  committed  the  "oracles  of  God."  (2),  If  so,  and  they 
had  abused  their  trust  by  leaving  out  these  books  as  they 
unquestionably  did,  Christ  and  his  apostles  would  not  have 
sanctioned  their  canon  as   complete.     If  they  had  left  out 


270  Miscellanies. 

these  books  through  ignorance  of  their  inspiration,  the  great 
Prophet  would  have  corrected  their  error;  if  they  had  left 
them  out  through  fraiid,  the  fraud  would  have  been  rebuked. 
(3),  The  internal  evidence  is  against  them :  First,  They  not 
only  make  no  claim  to  inspiration,  but  disclaim  it.  (See 
Thornwell  on  Apocrypha,  p.  345.)  "The  author  of  2  Mac- 
cabees professes  to  have  abridged,"  etc.  Eead  the  passage. 
Seco7id,  "They  contain  silly  and  ridiculous  stories,  palpable 
lies,  gross  anachronisms,  flat  contradictions,  and  doctrinal 
statements  wholly  irreconcilable  with  what  we  are  taught  in 
the  unquestioned  oracles  of  God." 

VI.  Blasphemy  of  the  Church  of  Rome ;  its  curse.  (Rev. 
xxii.  18.)  Their  folly  in  arguing  in  a  circle ;  to  private  judg- 
ment it  must  come  at  last. 


2   TIMOTHY   iii.   16. 


"All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for 
doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness." 

Introchiction.  Reference  to  the  preceding  sermons  on  this 
text,  in  which  the  nature  of  inspiration  was  explained,  the 
substance  of  which  was  that  every  line  of  the  Scripture  is  of 
man,  and  every  line  is  of  God;  for  "all  Scripture"  or  the 
"whole  writing"  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God.  Refer  also 
to  the  sermon  on  Matt.  xvi.  6,  in  which  the  doctrines  of  the 
Pharisees  and  of  the  Sadducees,  respectively,  in  regard  to 
the  rule  of  faith  were  considered,  the  former  adhering  to 
tradition  in  addition  to  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament ; 
the  latter  receiving  the  same  Scriptures  nominally  as  a  rule, 
but  making  their  reason  the  standard  of  what  they  ought  to 
contain.  I  propose  in  this  sermon  to  show  from  the  text 
the  stijficieyicy  of  the  Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice, or  as  a  revelation  of  the  plan  of  salvation  in  opposition 
specially  to  the  modern  Pharisees,  as  I  have  already  vindi- 

I  Preached  May  39,  1853. 


Sermons  Eeferred  to  in  Briefs  on  Acts.  271 

cated  the  autlwrity  of  the  word  in  opposition  to  the  modern 
Sadducees. 

I.  Explain  the  text : 

1.  The  Scriptures  sufficient  as  a  rule  of  faith.  There  are 
two  things  necessary  to  faith  in  a  world  like  this,  full  of  un- 
belief: one  is,  that  we  be  taught  what  to  believe,  and  the 
other,  that  we  be  warned  against  error,  and  be  furnished  with 
the  means  of  refuting  it,  and  the  Scriptures  fulfil  both  these 
conditions.  They  are  profitable  for  "doctrine"  (or  teaching, 
see  the  original)  and  "reproof"  (rather,  "refutation").  Illus- 
trate these  points.  Show  that  all  the  doctrines  of  salvation 
are  matters  which  lie  beyond  the  range  of  the  human  under- 
standing, and,  therefore,  must  be  matters  of  divine  revelation 
and  testimony.  The  facts,  to  some  extent,  appealing  to  the 
senses  may  be  known,  but  who  shall  tell  us  the  meaning  of 
them  ?  Thousands  saw  Christ  hanging  on  the  cross,  but  how 
could  they  know  the  meaning  of  that  stupendous  scene  ?  They 
knew  that  he  died,  but  they  could  not  tell  why.  It  needed 
a  special  revelation  to  inform  men  of  the  relations  of  the 
cross  to  the  moral  government  of  God.  So,  also,  show,  in 
illustration  of  the  second  point,  that  the  sword  of  the  Spirit 
is  the  great  weapon  to  be  used  against  the  enemies  of  the 
truth,  and  the  only  weapon  when  the  war  is  made  against 
the  distinctive  doctrines  of  the  gospel.  "AVho  art  thou,  O 
man,  that  repHest  against  God?"  Make  some  remarks  on 
the  want  of  wisdom  of  those  who  attempt  to  vindicate  these 
doctrines  of  human  reason  any  further  than  they  have  the 
example  of  the  Bible  for  so  doing.  The  federal  relation  of 
Adam,  for  instance.     We  need  not  leave  the  armory  of  God. 

2.  The  Scriptures  sufficient  as  a  rule  oi  j^ractice.  "They 
are  profitable,"  says  Paul,  "for  correction  and  instruction 
or  education  in  righteousness."  Two  things  necessary  to 
"practice,"  or  "good  manners,"  or,  in  other  words,  to  a  holy 
Hfe,  in  a  world  like  this  full  of  evil:  one  is,  that  we  be 
taught  lohat  to  do ;  the  other  is,  that  we  be  warned  against 


272  Miscellanies. 

sin,  or  told  what  we  ought  7iot  to  do.  The  "correction"  of 
the  text  has  reference  to  the  last,  the  "instruction  in  right- 
eousness"  to  the  first.  So  that  in  the  Scriptures  both  condi- 
tions are  fulfilled.  Illustrate  these  points.  Show  that 
though  every  man  has  a  conscience  and  all  the  elements  of  a 
moral  nature,  yet  that  men's  notions  of  duty  vary  almost 
endlessly.  They  are  all  conscious  of  unchangeable  distinc- 
tions between  right  and  wrong,  but  they  differ  as  to  ivhat  is 
right  and  what  is  wrong.  They  know  that  there  is  an  im- 
mutable difference  between  truth  and  falsehood  (let  skei3tics 
speculate  as  they  please),  but  they  differ  greatly  as  to  w/mt 
is  true  and  what  is  false.  They  need  some  authoritative  direc- 
tion upon  these  points,  and  they  have  it  in  the  word  of  him 
who  alone  has  atUhority  to  bind  the  conscience.  Notice  the 
difficulty  that  has  been  raised  from  the  size  of  the  Bible  as 
compared  with  the  vast  and  comprehensive  circle  of  human 
relations  and  duties,  with  the  almost  infinite  details  of  the 
application  of  the  rule  in  the  concerns  of  daily  life;  and 
show  that  the  Bible  would  not  have  served  the  purpose  of  a 
rule  at  all  if  it  had  been  much  larger,  and  that  the  ten  com- 
mandments can  be  shown  to  contain  the  sum  of  human  duty ; 
nay,  that  these  commandments  themselves  may  be  and  have 
been  condensed  by  the  Saviour,  who  fulfilled  the  law,  into 
two,  "the  love  of  God  and  the  love  of  man."  Minute  direc- 
tions are  necessary  only  for  those  who  do  not  wish  to  obey, 
or  are  anxious  to  evade  the  obligations  of  duty.  [Pursue  a 
similar  train  of  remark  in  reference  to  the  Bible  as  a  rule  of 
faith,  and  show  that  the  Bible  is  intended  to  instruct  us  in 
religion  only,  and  is,  therefore,  not  to  be  quarrelled  with 
because  it  does  not  teach  us  the  arts  and  sciences  at  the 
same  time.  Allude  to  the  preposterous  perversion  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  sufficiency  of  the  Bible  quoad  hoc,  of  which 
they  are  guilty  who  think  and  say  that  they  may  hold  any- 
thing in  science,  geology,  for  example,  however  contra.dictory 
to  the  Bible,  because  the  Bible  was  not  intended  to  teach 


Sermons  Keferred  to  in  Briefs  on  Acts.  273 

science.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  the  cluahsm  of  the 
schoohnen,  that  what  is  true  in  theology  may  be  false  in 
philosophy,  and  vice  versa.  All  truth  is  one,  and  must  be  in 
harmony  with  itself;  the  works  with  the  word  of  God,  etc., 
etc.]  On  the  size  of  the  Bible  as  a  rule  of  duty  see  the 
ingenious  dream  of  the  lost  Bible  in  the  Eclipse  of  Faith. 
Not  only  is  the  book  large  enough  for  a  statement  of  the 
whole  law,  but  for  the  most  abundant  and  felicitous  illustra- 
tions besides  of  its  practical  operation  in  the  histories  of 
persons  and  of  nations.  Show,  also,  on  the  other  side,  how 
admirably  the  Bible  meets  all  the  demands  of  human  feebleness 
and  ignorance  in  regard  to  the  evils  to  be  avoided,  and  how 
it  is  profitable  for  "correction."  It  authoritatively  forbids 
wrong,  and  not  as  the  scribes  and  wise  men,  and  enforces  its 
authority  by  the  awful  sanctions  of  eternity. 


LUKE   i.    1-4. 


' '  Forasmuch  as  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  set  forth  in  order  a  declara- 
tion of  those  things  which  are  most  surely  believed  among  us,  even  as  they 
delivered  them  unto  us,  which  from  the  beginning  were  eyewitnesses,  and 
ministers  of  the  word ;  it  seemed  good  to  me  also,  having  had  perfect  un- 
derstanding of  all  things  from  the  very  first,  to  write  unto  thee  in  order, 
most  excellent  Theophilus,  that  thou  mightest  know  the  certainty  of  those 
things,  wherein  thou  hast  been  instructed." 

It  appears  from  this  passage  :  (1),  That  many  narratives  of 
the  leading  facts  in  the  history  of  Christ  have  been  written 
and  were  in  circulation  before  Luke  wrote  his  gospel.  (2), 
That  these  narratives  were,  for  the  most  part,  to  be  relied  on 
as  authentic  accounts  of  events  which  were  generally  beUeved 
to  have  taken  place,  and  which  had  been  communicated,  in 
the  first  instance,  by  eye-witnesses  and  personal  attendants 
of  the  incarnate  word.  (3),  That  the  multitude  of  such  nar- 
ratives did  not  make  it  unnecessary  for  Luke  to  write  his 
account  of  the  same  facts,  but,  on  the  contrary,  seems  to  be 
18 


274  Miscellanies. 

given  as  the  reason  of  his  writing,  (4),  That  the  main  pur- 
pose of  his  writing  was  that  certainty  might  be  had  in  regard 
to  these  facts,  and  consequently  that  he  wrote  by  commission 
from  God,  or  by  inspiration,  which  the  authors  of  the  afore- 
said narratives  did  not.  For  why  should  he  add  to  the 
number  of  the  histories,  and  for  the  purpose  of  putting  cer- 
tain knowledge  into  the  possession  of  Theophilus,  if  these 
things  had  been  certainly  known  before,  which  they  would 
have  been  upon  the  supposition  that  the  previous  narratives 
had  been  inspired?  It  is  true  he  mentions  (verse  3)  as  one 
reason  of  his  writing  that  he  had  "perfect  understanding  of 
all  things  from  the  very  first "  (or,  as  it  might  be  rendered, 
he  "had  accurately  investigated  all  things  from  the  com- 
mencement") but,  upon  what  has  been  shown  in  previous 
lectures  to  be  the  nature  of  inspiration,  the  diligent  exercise 
or  his  own  faculties,  and  the  use  of  all  natural  methods  of 
acquiring  information,  are  not  at  all  inconsistent,  much  less 
incompatible,  with  inspiration.  It  is  evident  from  all  these 
statements  that  there  are  very  great  advantages  in  a  loritten 
word,  a  written  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  And  I  propose  on 
this  occasion  to  make  some  remarks  upon  these  advantages. 
See  the  Confession  of  Faith,  Chap.  I.,  Sec,  1,  "and  after- 
wards for  the  better  preserving,"  etc.,  to  the  end  of  the  sec- 
tion. 

I.  The  importance  of  dwelling  upon  the  subject :  (1), 
Because  those  men  who  deny  the  possibility  of  an  external 
revelation  altogether  (see  remarks  in  the  introduction  to  the 
first  lecture  on  the  "Nature  of  Inspiration")  are  specially 
vehement  and  decided  in  their  opposition  to  what  they  are 
pleased  to  call  contemptuously  a  "  book-revelation."  (See 
the  "  Eclipse  of  Faith"  ascribed  to  Henry  Eogers,  of  the 
Edinburgh  Review?)  (2),  Because  there  are  many  in  the 
church  who  place  "tradition"  on  a  level  with  the  written 
word. 

II.  Presumptive  evidence  a  priori  that  if  God  should  give 


Sermons  Keferred  to  in  Briefs  on  Acts.  275 

a  revelation  at  all  it  would  be  wi-itten  :  (1),  In  the  first  place 
show  that  in- developing  the   constitution  of  man,  whether 
physical  or  spiritual,  God  has  always  employed  external  cir- 
cumstances.    The  condition  of  every  object  in  nature  pos- 
sessing life  and  organization  is  determined  by  two  things, 
the  nature  of  the  organization  itself  and  the  external  circum- 
stances in  which  it  exists.     Illustrate  by  a  flower ;  light,  heat, 
moisture,  etc.,  necessary  to  its  development.     Fish  and  the 
element  of  water;  the  animal,  man,  and  the  atmosphere,  etc. 
Law  of   adaptation.      So  with   man's  intellectual   constitu- 
tion.    What  makes  the  difference  between  an  Englishman  or 
an  American  and  a  Fiji  Islander?     External  culture.    (See 
Eclipse  of  Faith,  as  above.)     An  external  revelation,  then, 
is  made  probable  beforehand  by  the  analogies  of  nature,  or 
rather  of  God's  works  in  other  departments.     And  the  sages 
of  pagan  philosophy  have  been  beautifully  compared  to  a 
flower  in  the  dark  which  leans  and  struggles  towards  the  light 
admitted  by  a  single  and  narrow  aperture.    (2),  Not  only  has 
the  development  of  man  been  made  to  depend,  generally, 
upon  external  circumstances,  but  specially  upon  that  external 
circumstance  which  we  call  writing  or  a  looh.     Notice  how 
civilization  has  moved  hand  in  hand  with  the  art  of  writing. 
Kefer  to  what  was  said  in  a  previous  lecture  on  the  value  of 
language  as  an  instrument  of  human  civilization,  and  show  how 
that  value  would  be  reduced  almost  to  nothing  in  this  respect 
by  the  want  of  the  art  of  writing.     The  tremendous  impetus 
given  to  the  human  mind  by  the  art  oi  printing,  which  multi- 
pHes,  preserves,  and  perpetuates  writings.     The  use  of  ex- 
ternal circumstances,  generally,  in  man's  development  would 
lead  us  to  expect  an  external  revelation ;  the  use  of  writing 
and  books,  especially,  in  man's  development  would  lead  us  to 
expect  a  written  or  look  revelation.     And  it  is  worihy  of 
notice  that  those  wise  men  who  have  discovered  that  a  "  book 
revelation"  is  "impossible  "  have  revealed  that  fact  in  a  look 
to  their  deluded  fellowmen. 


276  Miscellanies. 

III.  Argue  the  necessity  of  a  written  revelation,  in  the  next 
place,  from  the  fact  that  without  it  the  gift  of  inspiration  must 
be  continued  in  the  church  till  the  end  of  time :  (1),  We  have 
seen  in  previous  lectures  that  inspiration  was  necessary  even 
in  cases  where  the  facts  were  all  known  to  the  writers,  or,  in 
other  words,  where  revelation  was  not  necessary  in  order  to 
give  autliority  to  the  rule.  (2),  If  so,  then,  even  upon  the, 
supposition  that  those  who  are  to  hand  down  an  oral  revela- 
tion had  an  accurate,  perfectly  accurate,  memory  and  perfect 
honesty  and  fidelity  along  with  it,  inspiration  would  be  neces- 
sary to  clothe  their  statements  with  authority  to  others.  (3), 
But  inspiration  ceased  with  the  last  of  the  apostles.  (See 
1  Cor.  xiii,  8  (Warburton's  Doctrine  of  Grace);  Eph.  ii.  20; 
iv.  11,  12;  also  the  section  of  Confession  of  Faith  (chap.  I., 
sec.  1)  before  referred  to,  last  clause.) 

IV.  But  the  accuracy  of  human  memory  and  human  honesty 
are  not  to  be  relied  on:  (1),  The  notorious  slips  of  memory 
which  men  are  liable  to  in  relating  matters  of  common  life. 
(2),  The  false  coloring  given  to  facts  unintentionally.  (3), 
The  false  coloring  given  to  facts  and  statements  through  the 
influence  of  prejudice,  interest,  and  passion.  (4),  The  au- 
thority of  the  word  peculiarly  exposes  it  to  the  "malice  of 
Satan,  the  corruption  of  the  flesh,  and  the  malice  of  the 
world."  "Truth  comes  to  men  as  a  conqueror,  and  they 
receive  it  as  an  enemy."  Notice  the  eftbrts  of  mankind  to 
pervert  and  explain  away  and  by  verbal  criticism  to  annihi- 
late Scripture,  the  loritten  word.  What  would  they  have 
done  if  it  had  not  been  written  ?  How  urgent  the  difierent 
sects  are  in  defending  their  peculiar  interpretations  of  the 
word ;  they  would  have  been  equally  urgent  in  defending  their 
peculiar  readings  of  the  word  if  it  had  not  been  written. 
Illustrate  by  the  ingenious  dream  in  the  Eclipse  of  Faith, 
in  which  the  Bible  is  supposed  to  have  been  destroyed  and 
then  restored  by  the  memories  of  men.  (5),  The  interpola- 
tions and  mutilations  of  the  writings  of  the  fathers,  contain- 


Sermons  Referred  to  in  Briefs  on  Acts.  277 

ing,  according  to  the  papists  and  the  Oxford  apostles,  the 
records  of  oral  revelation.  Notice  the  endless  diversities  of 
opinion  among  the  fathers  as  to  certain  points  of  "  apostolic 
tradition."  What  would  be  the  use  of  an  infallible  rule 
delivered  to  us  by  fallible  men  in  a  fallible  manner  ?  The 
apostles  themselves  always  appealed  to  the  vyritten  rule  of 
the  Jewish  canon.  The  Christian  church  never  has  been 
required  to  trust  in  oral  teaching  alone,  even  under  the  rule 
of  apostles  themselves.  How  can  the  truth  be  '■'propagated'''' 
(not  to  say  ''preserved" )  without  a  written  standard,  unless, 
as  was  before  said,  its  propagation  is  entrusted,  as  its  original 
revelation  was,  to  inspired  men  f 

V.  Improvement.  (1),  The  honor  God  has  put  upon  the 
written  word  in  making  human  civilization  to  go  hand  in 
hand  -with  it.  (See  Wiseman's  testimony  in  his  Lectures  on 
Science  and  Revealed  Religion,  section  1.)  (2),  The  duty  of 
thanksgiving  to  God  for  a  written  word  which  is  proof  against 
the  detestable  spirit  of  rationalism  so  natural  to  man.  (3), 
How  little  is  the  prevailing  religion  of  the  day  (doctrinally  as 
well  as  practically  considered)  a  reflection  of  the  Bible! 
What  would  it  have  been  if  the  rule  had  been  deposited  in 
the  memories  of  men  and  left  to  be  thus  handed  down ! 


OTHER  SERMONS  AND  BRIEFS. 


279 


OTHER  SERMONS  AND  BRIEFS. 


"  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth." — Genesis  i.  1. 

"  The  Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  himself;  yea,  even  the  wicked  for 
the  day  of  evil." — Proverbs  xvi.  4. 

"And  to  make  all  men  see  what  is  the  fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  God,  who  created  all 
things  by  Jesus  Christ :  to  the  intent  that  now  unto  the  principalities  and 
powers  in  heavenly  places  might  be  known  by  the  church  the  manifold 
wisdom  of  God." — Ephesians  iii.  9,  10. 

In  the  first  of  these  texts  we  have  the  fact  of  creation ;  in 
the  second,  the  end  (generally  considered)  of  creation ;  in  the 
last,  the  end  specifically  and  ultimately  of  creation.  In  the 
beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  for  the 
display  of  his  own  glory,  especially  and  ultimately  for  the 
display  of  that  glory  in  the  redemption  of  the  church  by 
Jesus  Christ.  I  have  taken  these  texts  together,  because  in 
combination  they  illustrate  the  pervading  unity  of  design 
and  of  statement  in  the  Bible.  Make  some  statements  upon 
the  failure  to  perceive  the  force  of  the  argument  from  unity 
of  design  in  the  Bible,  arising  from  the  habit  acquired  in 
early  youth  of  regarding  it  as  one  book  instead  of  a  collec- 
tion of  sixty-six  books,  as  it  really  is,  from  different  authors, 
different  ages,  different  countries,  etc.,  etc.  It  is  a  unity, 
however,  not  obvious  and  lying  on  the  surface  as  it  would 
have  been  had  the  collection  been  the  work  of  imposture, 
but  hidden,  and  revealing  itself  only  to  the  habitual  and 
respectful  student,  and  to  him  more  and  more.  It  is  just 
such  a  unity  as  might  be  expected  from  a  number  of  authors 
differing  in  almost  every  respect  except  in  being  animated 
with  one  and  the  same  omniscient  Spirit. 

381 


"282  Miscellanies. 

I.  And  the  first  remark  I  have  to  make  is,  that  the  sublime 
announcement  with  which  God  opens  his  revelation  to  us 
conveys  more  information  than  the  numberless  volumes  of 
men  who  have  reasoned  about  the  origin  of  the  world ;  and 
every  Sabbath-school  scholar  is  placed,  in  this  particular, 
above  the  level  of  Aristotle,  the  greatest  of  the  ancient  philoso- 
phers, whose  conquests  in  the  world  of  thought,  as  has  been 
well  said,  were  greater  and  more  glorious  than  the  victories 
of  his  royal  pupil,  Alexander  the  Great,  ever  were  in  the 
world  natural  and  political. 

Opinions  about  the  world  or  the  universe : 

1.  That  it  is  eternal  as  to  its  matte?'  and  form  both. 

2.  That  it  is  eternal  as  to  its  matter  only;  and  the  forms 
of  things  are  the  results  of  a  fortuitous  concourse  of  atoms, 
or,  as  others,  of  a  law  of  development  belonging  to  the 
essence  or  substance  itself.  Some  hold  that  the  universe  is, 
as  it  were,  the  body,  and  God  the  informing  Spirit ;  others 
express  it  differently,  and  say  that  the  universe  is  a  manifes- 
tation of  God ;  that  is,  it  is  God  in  a  certain  form.  Hence, 
instead  of  saying,  in  the  language  of  the  Bible,  that  "God 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,"  they  choose  to  say  that 
God  '' hecame'"  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  (See  Bushnell's 
Ood  in  Christ,  for  example.)  You  may  say.  Why  tell  tis 
these  things?  We  believe  in  creation.  My  answer  is,  that 
the  very  worst  form  of  infidelity  which  in  the  present  day  is 
destroying  men's  souls,  which  threatens  to  overturn  the  very 
foundations  of  society  and  to  convert  the  earth  into  a  habi- 
tation of  devils  and  unclean  spirits,  is  that  which  denies  the 
creation  of  the  universe,  which  denies  the  distinct  personality 
of  God,  and  blasphemously  confounds  him  with  the  works  of 
his  hands.  Notice  the  desolating  effect  of  all  theories  of  this 
sort  upon  a  sense  of  obligation  and  responsibility,  and  con- 
sequently upon  personal  and  public  morality.  If  we  are 
developments  out  of  the  nature  of  God  (it  matters  not  whether 
the  development  be  contingent,  fortuitous  or  necessary),  then 


J 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs,  283 

the  lie  of  Satau  in  the  garden  of  Eden  has  been  verified :  we 
are  become  as  gods,  and  our  German  citizens  are  right  in 
regarding  themselves  (as  thej  seem  to  regard  themselves)  a 
community  of  beer-drinking  divinities,  without  responsibihty 
or  law.  The  havoc  which  will  be  made  of  all  regulated 
liberty  here  and  elsewhere,  if  such  detestable  principles  uni- 
versally prevail!  These  men  are  the  furious  disorganizgrs 
and  revolutionists  of  modern  times;  the  successors  to  the 
"Bluminati"  and  the  "Jacobin  Clubs"  of  the  close  of  the 
last  century. 

The  whole  framework  of  moral  government  rests  upon  this 
fundamental  and  original  relation  of  Creator  and  creature. 
"I  am  Jehovah^''  the  self-existent  One  and  the  Fountain  of 
all  existence.  This  is  the  ground  on  which  God  claims  the 
obedience  of  the  whole  family  of  man ;  this  is  the  foundation 
upon  which  all  civil  government  is  based,  so  far  as  that  gov- 
ernment recognizes  the  moral  sense  of  the  governed.  It  was 
highly  proper,  therefore,  that  the  Bible,  which  is  a  history  of 
the  rebellion  and  apostasy  of  man,  and  of  his  restoration  to 
the  favor  of  God,  his  moral  governor,  should  begin  with  an 
articulate  statement  of  the  fact  of  creation.  Notice,  also,  in 
passing,  that  in  the  manner  as  well  as  the  fact  we  are 
guarded  against  the  "ignorance  of  foolish  men."  It  is  no 
organic  development,  no  mechanical  development,  no  neces- 
sary development,  but  the  various  departments  of  creation 
emerge  from  the  kingdom  of  "chaos  and  old  night"  at  the 
command  of  an  intelligent  and  voluntary  and  separately- 
subsisting  and,  therefore,  personal  agent.  "Let  there  be 
light,  and  there  was  light."  It  is  no  gradual  development  of 
organized  being  from  a  single  created  germ  or  a  germ  of  any 
sort.  There  is  no  transmutation  of  species ;  but  every  animal 
and  every  plant  is  produced  in  its  oion  kind  and  in  its  full 
proportions  and  hearing  seed.  There  are  no  periods  of  in- 
definite or  of  infinite  length,  but  days  which  had  "evening" 
and  "morning."     And  man,  the  crowning  glory  of  the  whole. 


284  Miscellanies. 

so  far  from  being  a  development  out  of  God,  as  some  say,  or 
out  of  lower  animals,  as  others,  was  created  by  God,  after 
consultation.  By  the  way,  what  a  glorious  testimony  is  here 
for  the  personality  of  God,  "Let  us  make  man  after  our 
imaged''  etc. 


"Aud  she  shall  bring  forth  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus; 
for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."— Matthew  i.  21. 

General  remarks  upon  the  importance  attached  to  the 
name  of  Jesus  in  the  Scriptures  (Phil.  ii.  9 ;  Heb.  i.  4 ;  all 
those  passages  in  which  his  name  is  represented  as  the  object 
oi  faith  and  love).  These  declarations  are  confirmed  by  the 
experience  of  believers.  "Thy  name,"  says  the  spouse,  "is 
as  an  ointment  poured  forth,"  etc.  (Song  of  Sol.  i.  2.)  "  The 
name  of  Jesus,"  said  an  ancient  saint  (Bernard,  cited  in  Cal- 
vin's Institutes,  Book  II.,  C.  16),  "is  not  only  light,  but  food; 
it  is  oil,  without  which  all  the  food  of  the  soul  is  dry ;  it  is 
salt,  unseasoned  by  which  whatever  is  presented  to  us  is 
insipid ;  finally,  it  is  honey  in  the  mouth,  melody  in  the  ear, 
joy  in  the  heart,  and  medicine  to  the  soul;  and  there  are  no 
charms  in  any  discourse  where  his  name  is  not  heard." 

I.  Use  of  names  in  general :  intended  to  be  signs  of  per- 
sons, or  things,  or  qualities;  gold,  for  example,  a  sign  by 
which  a  substance  of  a  certain  color,  ductile,  malleable,  cap- 
able of  solution  only  in  a  certain  menstruum,  used  as  a  mea- 
sure of  value  and  the  medium  of  exchange  amongst  men,  is 
brought  before  the  mind.  So  the  name  of  a  person  suggests 
a  certain  stature,  features,  complexion,  dress,  etc. 

Names  either  arbitrary  or  descriptive ;  that  is,  they  serve 
as  signs,  either  by  an  accidental  and  arbitrary  association 
with  the  thing  signified,  or  by  virtue  of  their  signifying  the 
qualities,  etc.,  of  the  things  with  which  they  are  associated. 
Most  of  the  names  in  the  Bible  belong  to  the  second  class. 
Our  knowledge  of  God  advanced  in  this  way.     Our  appre- 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs,  285 

hensions  feeble ;  we  cannot  take  in  the  idea  of  God  at  once ; 
and,  hence,  he  calls  himself  by  a  variety  of  names  in  order 
to  present  himself  to  our  minds  in  a  variety  of  aspects,  both 
in  his  cliaracter  and  in  his  relations.  Enlarge  upon  the 
names  Jehovah,  Lord,  God,  Redeemer,  etc.,  so  as  to  impress 
our  minds  with  a  sense  of  the  fulness,  sufficiency,  and  glory 
of  Jesus.  He  has  a  great  variety  of  names.  He  is  called  in 
the  Old  Testament,  for  example  (see  Soiles,  Horce  Solitaj'ice), 
Jehovah,  God,  Jehovah  our  Righteousness,  Lord,  Immanuel, 
Most  High,  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  Mighty  God,  Father  of 
Eternity,  Prince  of  Peace,  Messiah,  Christ,  or  Anointed, 
Jesus,  or  Saviour,  Redeemer,  Shiloh,  Glory  of  the  Lord, 
Word  of  the  Lord,  Angel  of  Jehovah,  Elect,  Wisdom,  Pro- 
phet, Priest,  King,  Branch,  Star,  Strength  of  Israel,  Hus- 
band, Light,  Shepherd,  Servant,  Lawgiver,  Rock,  Physician, 
Stone,  Fountain,  Portion  of  Jacob,  Keeper,  and  others.. 

II.  The  name  Jesus,  his-  great  name;  this  the  name  of 
his  person,  and,  therefore,  peculiarly  dear  to  believers.  The 
name  common  among  the  Jews  (Col.  iv.  11 ;  Acts  xiii.  6,  etc.), 
but  in  these  cases  there  was  no  reference  to  the  meaning  of 
the  name,  any  more  than  there  is  now  in  those  surnames  of 
men  which  are  the  names  of  colors,  trades,  etc.  But  not  so 
with  the  name  as  applied  to  the  Son  of  God,  "for  he  shall 
save  his  people,"  etc.  Allusion  to  Joshua  and  the  children 
of  Israel.  Circumstances  of  resemblance  between  Jesus  and 
Joshua.  (See  Bishop  Pearson  on  the  Creed.)  Signification 
of  Joshua,  "salvation  of  God,"  or  "God  will  save";  and  it 
was  given  like  many  other  Scripture  names,  in  ^  r)ro2?lietical 
spii'it ;  it  signified  the  certainty  of  salvation  from  God, 
through  the  instrumentality  of  Joshua.  Now,  in  the  same 
way  with  Jesus,  but  in  a  more  emphatic  sense.  The  original 
runs,  "  He,  himself,  shall  save  his  people."  While  Joshua 
saved  only  by  the  power  of  God,  and  saved  not  his  own  peo- 
ple, but  God's.  And  this  plainly  implies  that  Jesus  is  God, 
which  is  confirmed  by  the  next  verse,  where  his  birth  is  said 


286  Miscellanies. 

to  fulfil  Isaiah  vii.  14:  "God  with  us."  Now,  as  Bishop 
Pearson  observes,  if  we  suppose  the  sense  of  Immanuel  to 
be  comprehended  in  the  name  Jesus,  there  will  be  no  dif- 
ficulty in  perceiving  the  correspondence  of  the  prediction 
with  the  event,  even  though  Christ  was  not  called  Immanuel. 
The  Jesus  of  the  angel  is  the  Immanuel  of  the  prophet. 
The  meaning  of  the  term.  This  term  (Saviour)  applied  hj 
the  heathen  to  their  gods,  and  even  to  their  human  deliverers, 
whom  they  worshipped  as  gods.  So,  also,  in  the  Scriptures, 
Othniel  and  Ehud  are  called  "deliverers'"  (original  saviours) 
(Judges  iii.  9-15),  and  the  judges  generally  (Neh.  ix.).  But 
these  were  saviours  from  temporal  calamities ;  Jesus  is  pre- 
eminently the  Saviour,  because  he  delivers  from  sin,  the  rooi 
of  all  evil,  and  the  only  real  evil. 

III.  Now,  he  is  called  Christ  also,  which  is  the  name  of 
office  as  Jesus  is  of  person.  And  to  explain  Christ,  there- 
fore, will  be  fully  to  explain  Jestis.  Meaning  of  the  name 
Christ,  Anointed,  expresses  all  the  offices  he  discharges  as 
our  Saviour  :  (1),  Prophet,  reveals  the  salvation  of  God.  (2), 
Priest,  procures  this  salvation.  (3),  King,  applier  and  fin- 
isher of  this  salvation. 

IV.  Improvement.  (Ij,  The  preciousness  of  the  name  of 
Jesus  to  the  believer.  In  time  of  a  sense  of  guilt,  in  time  of 
a  sense  of  corruption  and  pollution,  in  time  of  temptation  or 
tribulation  of  any  kind,  fightings  without  or  fears  within, 
especially  in  the  hour  of  death,  when  the  dark,  cold  waters 
of  Jordan  begin  to  gather  around  him.  The  name  of  Jesus 
is  also  precious  because  associated  with  the  recollection  of 
seasons  of  communion  with  him,  and  of  foretastes  of  his 
glory.  (2),  The  name  of  Jesus  a  source  of  terrible  consterna- 
tion to  those  who  die  in  their  sins,  because  it  will  be  asso- 
ciated with  the  recollection  of  innumerable  offers  of  his 
grace  despised.  (Phil.  ii.  9,  10 ;  Rev.  vi.  15-17  ;  xix.  11,  etc.) 
The  necessity  of  immediately  casting  our  all  upon  that 
name. 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  287 

' '  And  being  warned  of  God  in  a  dream  that  they  should  not  return  tO' 
Herod,  they  departed  into  their  own  country  another  way.  And  when  they 
were  departed,  behold,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  appeareth  to  Joseph  in  a 
dream,  saying.  Arise,  and  take  the  young  ohild  and  his  mother,  and  flee 
into  Egypt,  and  be  thou  there  until  I  bring  thee  word :  for  Herod  will  seek 
the  young  child  to  destroy  him.  When  he  arose,  he  took  the  young  child 
and  his  mother  by  night,  and  departed  into  Egypt:  and  was  there  until 
the  death  of  Herod:  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  of  the 
Lord  by  the  prophet,  saying.  Out  of  Egypt  have  I  called  my  son.  Then 
Herod,  when  he  saw  that  he  was  mocked  of  the  wise  men,  was  exceeding 
wroth,  and  sent  forth,  and  slew  all  the  children  that  were  in  Bethlehem, 
and  in  all  the  coasts  thereof,  from  two  years  old  and  under,  according  to 
the  time  which  he  had  diligently  inquired  of  the  wise  men.  Then  was  ful- 
filled that  which  was  spoken  by  Jeremy  the  prophet,  saying.  In  Rama, 
was  there  a  voice  heard,  lamentation,  and  weeping,  and  great  mourning, 
Rachel  weeping  for  her  children,  and  would  not  be  comforted,  because  they 
are  not.  But  when  Herod  was  dead,  behold,  an  angel  of  the  Lord  ap- 
peareth in  a  dream  to  Joseph  in  Egypt,  saying,  Arise,  and  take  the  young 
child  and  his  mother,  and  go  into  the  land  of  Israel:  for  they  are  dead, 
which  sought  the  young  child's  life.  And  he  arose,  and  took  the  young 
child  and  his  mother,  and  came  into  the  land  of  Israel.  But  when  he  heard 
that  Archelaus  did  reign  in  Judea  in  the  room  of  his  father  Herod,  he  was 
afraid  to  go  thither:  notwithstanding,  being  warned  of  God  in  a  dream,  he 
turned  aside  into  the  parts  of  Galilee :  and  he  came  and  dwelt  in  a  city- 
called  Nazareth,  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  the- 
prophets,  He  shall  be  called  a  Nazarene." — Matthew  ii.  12-23. 

I.  Birth  of  great  men,  particular  crises  in  their  lives,  and 
their  death  supposed  to  be  attended  bj  sympathetic  events 
in  the  lives  of  their  own  generation  or  in  the  outward  frame 
of  nature.  Numberless  myths  have  been  woven  around  their 
cradles  or  their  tombs.  These  expectations  of  the  sympathy 
of  the  race  or  of  nature  with  men  whose  lives  have  affected 
the  state  and  destiny  of  the  world  are  not  unreasonable. 
How  much  more  are  we  entitled  to  expect  them  in  the  case 
of  such  an  extraordinary  life  as  that  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth ! 

II.  The  wise  men :  (1),  What  they  were.  (2),  Why  led  by 
a  star.  Compare  the  leading  of  the  shepherds  in  Luke  ii. 
Note  that  God  leads  men  to  Christ  by  various  methods  suited 
to   their  various  circumstances,   characters,  etc.      Analogy 


'288  Miscellanies. 

from  the  diversified  viatter  and  style  of  the  different  parts  of 
the  Bible — all  things  to  all  men  if  by  any  means  some  may 
be  saved.  (3),  How  they  came  to  associate  the  star  with  the 
birth  of  "the  King  of  the  Jews."  Answer:  Either  by  direct 
revelation  or  (more  probably)  by  their  knowledge  of  Balaam's 
prophecy  and  of  Daniel's.  There  is  implied,  however,  a 
■preparation  of  mind  for  the  impression  made  by  the  star. 
Illustrate  by  Newton  and  the  fall  of  the  apple.  Thousands 
had  seen  apples  fall  without  the  law  of  gravity  being  sug- 
gested. Newton  himself  had  seen  them  fall  many  times 
before.  So  in  the  ordinary  ministry  of  the  gospel  now,  a 
statement  may  fall  upon  a  sinner's  ear  which  he  has  often 
heard  before  with  indifference,  but  which  now  is  like  a  flash 
of  lightning  or  like  the  beams  of  the  morning  star. 

III.  The  sigmjicance  of  the  visit  of  the  wise  men — a 
symbol  of  the  gathering  of  the  Gentiles.  Compare  John  xii., 
the  visit  of  the  Greeks ;  the  superscription  on  the  cross  in 
Greek  and  Latin  as  well  as  Hebrew. 

IV.  The  significance  of  their  gifts — the  wealth  and  the 
worship  of  the  world  given  to  the  King  and  Priest  of  men, 
the  myrrh  possibly  having  reference  to  the  death  and  burial 
of  this  King.  Compare  the  anointing  of  Mary  of  Bethany. 
God  had  a  meaning  in  these  acts  of  love  and  reverence 
which  the  persons  doing  them  knew  not  of. 

V.  The  reception  given  to  God's  King  by  man's  king,  the 
trouble  of  Herod  and  of  Jerusalem  with  him,  the  infernal 
malice  of  Herod  under  the  cloak  of  reverence.  Symbolical. 
Herod  knew  that  a  King  was  expected  and  that  he  was  God, 
King,  the  Messiah.  Proof — his  appeal  to  the  scribes,  and 
yet  he  determines  to  kill  him!  The  carnal  mind  enmity 
against  God — hates  God. 

VI.  The  means  used  by  the  two  kings,  respectively,  to 
defend  themselves : 

1.  The  world  \\u^,  force  and  murder ;  God's  King,  weak- 
ness and  flight.    Dwell  on  the  comparative  power  of  might 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  289 

and  weakness  ("the  invincible  might  of  weakness,"  (Milton) 
— the  sword  and  the  cross. 

2.  Guidance  of  Divine  Providence.  No  one  who  admits  a 
Providence  at  all  will  deny  that  a  special  Providence  was 
concerned  in  the  movements  of  Joseph  and  his  family.  The 
only  difficulty  here  is  in  regard  to  the  dreams,  of  which  such 
frequent  mention  is  made  in  the  narrative.  Observe:  (a), 
That  the  dreams  here  were  of  the  same  kind  as  those  which 
the  prophets  had.  (Num.  xii.  6;  Dan.  vii.  1.)  The  extra- 
ordinary circumstances  justified  as  extraordinary  interpo- 
sition of  Providence ;  but  (h).  These  movements  upon  the 
minds  of  the  wise  men  and  Joseph  have  their  counterparts 
now  and  then  in  the  experience  of  God's  people  and  of 
people  who  are  not  God's.  (Job  xxxiii.  15.)  See  Job  iv. 
12-19;  see  Mason's  Christian  Magazine,  pp.  182,  et  seq.; 
the  anecdote  about  the  old  man  and  his  wife  who  came  to 
testify  as  to  Teunant's  identity,  and  that  about  Dr.  Balch's 
conversion.  God  does  lead  his  people  by  dreams,  but  how  ? 
Answer:  (1),  Not  by  telling  them  what  they  are  to  believe  or 
do  in  the  way  of  obedience  to  him,  much  less  to  empower 
them  to  guide  others  authoritatively.  The  only  rule  for  these 
matters  is  God's  Bible.  (2),  But  he  leads  them  by  other 
providences.  A  man  is  going  to  a  certain  place ;  he  meets 
another  man,  or  he  meets  with  some  accident  or  other,  and 
his  purpose  is  changed.  Now,  just  put  a  dream  in  the  place 
of  the  man  or  the  accident,  and  you  have  the  idea.  So  dreams 
are  sometimes  trials  or  tests  of  a  man's  love  of  duty.  A 
man  might  plead  a  dream  in  excuse  for  not  doing  his  duty. 
So  with  other  things  ;  it  is  not  always  easy  to  distinguish 
between  a  providential  leading  and  a  providential  temjptation. 
We  are  always  inclined  to  take  that  interpretation  of  a  dream 
or  any  other  providence  which  jumps  with  our  desires  and 
wishes. 

YII.  The  slaughter  of  the  infants : 

1.  The  impression  made  upon  the  church  by  the  event. 
19 


290  Miscellanies. 

Festival  of  the  "Holy  Inuocents" — a  kind  of  martyrs. 
Matthew  Henry  calls  tliem  the  "infantry  of  the  noble  army  of 
martyrs"- — slain  for  Christ's  sake.  Otherwise  the  event  not 
without  example  in  this  sad  world. 

2.  Death  of  infants — an  evidence  of  original  sin. 

3.  This  gives  them  an  interest  in  him  who  came  to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost.  "Suffer  the  little  children 
to  come  unto  me,"  etc.  "They  died,  for  Adam  sinned;  they 
live,  for  Jesus  died."  Yiews  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  on 
the  salvation  of  infants.  Slanders — misinterpretation  of  the 
language  of  the  Confession  in  Chap.  X.,  Sec.  3.  Cruelty  of 
papists  and  of  their  apists  to  infants :  to  make  their  salvation 
depend  upon  their  being  baptized.  Yet  the  world  hates 
Presbyterians,  who  hold  to  the  salvation  of  infants,  and  loves 
the  papists,  who  send  so  many  infants  to  perdition ! 

YIII.  Depth  of  Christ's  humiliation  as  illustrated  in  the 
foregoing  narrative.  It  is  all  summed  up  in,  "Pie  shall  be 
called  a  Nazarene'' 


"And  he  spake  many  things  unto  them  in  parables,  saying,  Behold,  a 
sower  went  forth  to  sow;  and  when  he  sowed,  some  seeds  fell  by  the  way- 
side, and  the  fowls  came  and  devoured  them  up:  some  fell  upon  stony 
places,  where  they  had  not  much  earth  :  and  forthwith  they  spning  up,  be- 
cause they  had  no  deepness  of  earth  :  and  when  the  sun  was  up,  they  were 
scorched ;  and  because  they  had  no  root,  they  withered  away.  And  some 
fell  among  thorns;  and  the  thorns  sprung  up,  and  choked  them:  but  other 
fell  into  good  ground,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  some  a  hundredfold,  some 
sixtj'fold,  some  thirtj-fold." — Matt.  xiii.  3-8.' 

The  nature  of  a  parable;  the  correspondences  between 
the  natural  and  the  spiritual  world ;  the  objects  of  the  natural 
designed  (the  correspondence  is  not  fortuitous)  to  represent 
the  objects  and  relations  of  the  spiritual.  Illustrate  by  mar- 
riage, which  is  not  merely  employed  to  illustrate  great  spirit- 
ual truths  because  it  is  found  to  exist,  but  it  exists  by  the 

1  Preached  September  30,  1859. 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  291 

institution  of  God,  because  it  was  intended  to  adumbrate 
spiritual  mysteries.  So  with  the  processes  of  agriculture. 
They  are  not  fortuitously  as  they  are,  and  serve  incidentally 
to  illustrate  spiritual  things,  but  they  are  arranged  and  or- 
dained by  God  for  that  jjurpose.  See  Eph.  iii.  9,  10,  for  the 
general  principle  of  the  subordination  of  the  natural  to  the 
spiritual  in  the  relation  of  means  to  ends.  Show  the  same 
thino-  also  from  the  dispensation  of  miracles,  which  are  a 
suspension  or  reversal  of  the  laws  of  nature  (that  is,  of  God's 
uniform  operations  in  the  natural  world)  for  ends  belonging^ 
to  the  higher  spiritual  sphere.  Ponit  out  the  abuse  of  this 
doctrine  in  the  mythical  theory,  as  applied  to  the  histories  of 
the  Bible. 

This  parable  seems  to  have  been  the  first  pubhcly  dehvered 
by  the  Saviour  (see  verse  10),  and  the  subject  of  it  is  pecu- 
liarly appropriate  regarded  as  the  first,  since  it  is  designed  to 
teach  the  diversified  effects  of  divine  truth  upon  the  minds 
of  men,  according  to  the  difl;erent  states  of  those  minds,  and 
its  representations  are  most  abundantly  verified  in  the  subse- 
quent ministry  of  the  Saviour  himself,  and  in  the  ministry  of 
his  ambassadors  in  all  generations. 

1.  There  must  be  an  adaptation  of  the  seed  to  the  soil  and 
of  the  soil  to  the  seed.  There  is  a  general  correspondence 
between  the  nature  of  seed  and  the  nature  of  soil  which  is 
necessary  to  the  production  of  a  given  result  when  they  are 
brought  together.  The  seed  is  not  sown  in  fire  or  in  water 
or  in  air,  but  in  earth.  So  there  is  a  correspondence  between 
the  nature  of  truth  and  the  nature  of  mind,  regarded  as  mind. 

2.  There  may  be  degrees  of  this  adaptation  and  correspon- 
dence. Illustrate  by  the  figures  of  the  parable  and  the 
spiritual  sense  of  another  form  of  expression  which  frequently 
occurs,  "hardening  the  heart";  the  wax  and  the  seal;  the 
impression  depends  upon  both;  the  form  and  material  of 
one,  the  state  (say  the  softness  or  hardness)  of  the  other. 
Degrees    of   hardness,   instance    in    Pharaoh.     Apply    these. 


292  Miscellanies. 

principles  to  the  case  of  the  gospel  and  the  heart  of  the  sin- 
ner. Difference  between  the  tendencies  of  a  thing  and  the 
effects  of  a  thing. 

3.  The  seed  has  no  power  to  improve  the  soil,  to  soften  it 
or  to  eradicate  the  weeds,  etc.,  etc.  If  the  soil  is  to  be  im- 
proved it  must  be  by  some  process  independent  of  the  sowing. 
Apply  this  to  the  other  case  and  point  out  the  necessary  re- 
sult, the  necessity  of  some  independent  agency  to  be  exerted 
upon  the  soul  in  order  that  the  truth  may  produce  the  effects 
it  has  a  tendency  to  produce.  But  this  point  will  be  more 
fully  illustrated  in  the  exposition  of  the  parable. 

I.  The  way-side  hearers  ;  the  heart  of  man  a  road  trodden 
down  and  made  hard  by  the  constant  traversing  across  it  of 
unholy  and  worldly  thoughts  and  passions.  These  hearers 
understand  it  not,  because  they  do  not  give  it  any  attention  ; 
attention  necessary  in  order  that  any  idea  may  make  an  im- 
pression upon  the  mind.  But  this  way-side  seed  does  not 
even  enter  the  soil.  The  bodies  of  these  hearers  are  in  the 
house  of  God,  but  their  souls  are  elsewhere.  And  even  if 
they  give  sufficient  attention  to  the  propositions  to  recognize 
them,  they  convey  no  definite  idea  to  the  mmd,  and  they  neg- 
lect them  as  unintelligible.  If  they  should  understand  the 
logical  meaning  of  what  they  hear,  they  neglect  it  because 
they  feel  no  personal  interest  in  the  things  themselves. 
They  may  see  how  others  are  concerned,  but  not  how  they 
themselves  are.  Notice  the  agency  of  "the  wicked  one"  in 
this  business. 

II.  The  stony-ground  hearers :  1.  The  effect  of  the  word 
upon  them.  Ought  to  have  been  rendered  "  rocky  places " 
(Luke  "upon  a  rock").  If  the  soil  was  only  stony,  the  seed 
might  fall  in  the  interstices  and  strike  its  root  into  the  soil 
between  the  stones.  The  kind  of  soil  intended  is  that  which 
has  a  light  surface  of  mould  upon  a  bed  of  solid  rock. 

We  may  regard  this  as  the  description  of  that  class  of  per- 
sons who  are  easily  impressed  (from  whatever  cause)  by  the 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  293 

word.  First,  Persons  of  a  lively  imagination  and  refined  and 
delicate  taste.  The  religion  of  a  great  number  a  mere  matter 
of  taste.  It  is  like  music,  painting,  sculpture  and  poetry. 
It  is  a  matter  purely  of  sentiment.  It  has  no  root  in  convic- 
tion and  principle.  Notice  the  doctrines,  for  example,  of 
Morell's  Philosophy  of  Religion,  making  the  same  faculty  of 
the  mind  take  cognizance  of  the  time,  the  heautiful  and  the 
good.  Notice  how  these  errors  are  used  in  the  forms  of  the 
Church  of  Rome.  All  their  religion  is  the  result  of  impres- 
sions upon  the  imagination  made  through  the  medium  of  the 
senses.  So  the  truths  of  the  gospel  presented  eloquently  by 
the  voice  to  the  ear,  or  impressively  to  the  eye  by  the  sacra- 
ments, may  create  a  very  lively  sentiment  which  may  be 
confounded  with  devotion,  and  men  may  be  made  to  weep 
over  the  representation  who  never  shed  a  tear  over  their 
sins,  and  who,  if  they  had  been  standing  under  the  cross  of 
Jesus  Christ,  would  have  mocked  his  dying  groans.  Senti- 
ment of  a  somewhat  different  kind,  it  is  true,  but  capable  of 
being  referred  to  the  same  class  (because  it  is  still  a  matter 
of  pure  natural  taste),  is  that  of  persons  who  are  naturally 
amiable  and  mild  in  their  dispositions.  They  may  have  a 
sympathy  with  the  character  of  Christ,  called  into  exercise  by 
hearing  or  reading  the  word,  which  is  pure  natural  sympathy. 
Second,  Those  hearers  may  be  referred  to  this  class  who 
have  some  transient  convictions  as  to  sin,  the  Saviour,  the 
glories  of  heaven,  and  the  emotions  produced  by  these  con- 
victions. Herod,  Balaam,  Felix,  Agrippa,  Demas  (Hebrews 
vi.  4-6).  The  hopes  and  fears  of  men  may  be  naturally 
excited,  and  these  emotions  so  produced  may  be  very  vigor- 
ous, "with^'f?/  receive  the  word." 

These  impressions  arise  very  easily,  "  anon  with  joy,"  etc. 
It  is  not  a  matter  of  settled  conviction  and  principle,  for 
then  the  emotions  would  be  harder  to  be  produced, 

2.  The  causes  owing  to  which  they  fall  away :  tribulation 
or   persecution,  whether   external    or   internal.      The   word 


'294  Miscellanies. 

*' tribulation"  is  taken  from  a  Latin  word  which  means  a 
thi'eshiug  machine.  Trials  are  the  instruments  by  which 
God  threshes  men,  and  separates  the  wheat  from  the  chaff. 
These  are  here  represented  by  the  sun ;  the  influences  of 
ihe  sun  are  wholesome  and  invigorating  to  a  plant  which  has 
-roots,  but  withers  that  which  has  none.  Afflictions  strengthen 
faith  where  it  exists,  but  they  destroy  a  false  faith.  Put 
straw  and  gold  together  into  a  furnace  (to  use  an  illustration 
of  Austin ;  see  Trench  in  loco) ;  the  furnace  and  the  fire  are 
the  same,  but  the  result  is  very  different.  The  one  turns  to 
ashes ;  the  other  becomes  purer,  more  resplendent  than  be- 
fore. Trees  which  have  sound  roots  are  fixed  more  firmly 
in  the  ground  by  winds  and  tempests;  those  which  have 
Done  are  blown  down.  Any  one  who  has  passed  through  a 
forest  after  a  hurricane  has  gone  over  it  has  seen  a  striking 
illustration  of  the  effect  of  God's  judgments  upon  men.  In 
the  prostrate  trees  on  our  right  hand  and  our  left  we  per- 
ceive that  there  has  been  rottenness  within,  while  the  out- 
side has  been  fair  as  that  of  the  trees  which  still  stand.  The 
plant  has  "no  root,"  and  is  destroyed  by  the  very  means 
which  would  have  strengthened  and  caused  it  to  grow  if  it 
had  had  a  root.  "They  are  ojfended^''  that  is,  made  to 
stumble  and  fall.  They  did  not  count  the  cost ;  they  acted 
merely  from  impulse ;  the  bed  of  stone  lay  under  the  surface 
of  earth ;  the  hard,  carnal  heart  lay  under  all  the  surface  of 
taste,  sensibility,  etc.  They  fall  away,  abandon  religion 
openly,  and  perhaps  forever. 

III.  The  seed  among  thorns.  These  go  a  little  farther 
than  the  last.  The  work  is  a  little  deeper,  and  they  do  not 
openly  renounce  religion  and  their  profession,  as  it  seems  to 
be  implied  the  last  do.  Point  out  the  nature  of  a  merely  in- 
tellectual conviction  ;  the  influence  of  the  twofold  obstacles: 
"the  cares  of  this  world"  (show  particularly  the  danger  of 
those  who  are  straitened  in  their  worldly  affairs,  poor  with 
large  families);    "the   deceitfulness  of  riches,"  "the  lust  of 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs,  295 

other  tilings"  Mark  has  it;  the  danger  of  the  rich,  difficulty 
of  feeling  his  dependence  upon  God  ;  hard  for  a  man  who 
has  a  million  of  dollars  to  feel  that  he  is  "wretched  and 
miserable,"  etc.  It  creates  new  lusts ;  it  increases  its  de- 
mands. God  and  mammon  cannot  be  served  together. 
How  many,  how  many  deceive  themselves  in  this  business, 
and  make  the  acknowledged  duty  of  providing  for  their 
bodies  the  excuse  for  neglecting  and  destroying  their  undy- 
ing souls!  These  are  the  " divided  hearts "  of  Hosea  x.  2; 
the  "double  minded"  of  James  i.  8. 

IV.  The  seed  in  good  ground.  Discuss  the  last  prelimi- 
nary point  mentioned  above  more  fully.  How  comes  the 
sinner's  heart  to  be  "good  and  honest"?  The  natural  state 
of  men  according  to  the  Scriptures ;  the  necessity,  therefore, 
of  the  independent  agency  of  the  Spirit.  Illustrate  by  Rom. 
vi.  17,  "that  form  or  type  of  doctrine  into  which  you  were 
delivered."  The  mould  of  truth  is  ready;  but  the  sinner's 
hard  heart  must  be  fused  before  it  will  run  into  it.  The  dif- 
ference in  the  fruitfulness  here  differently  explained.  See 
Trench. 

V.  Inferences:  (1),  Take  heed  how  ye  hear.  (2),  A  lesson  to 
those  who  preach ;  they  sow  the  seed,  but  they  can  do  abso- 
lutely nothing  to  prepare  the  soil.  God  does  it,  and  he  only. 
(3),  The  sovereignty  of  God  thus  manifested  in  doing  what  he 
pleases  with  his  word.  (Isaiah  Iv.  8-11.)  Encouragement 
to  ministers  ;  they  fret  because  they  cannot  do  what  God 
never  required  them  to  do  ;  their  business  is  to  be  faithful 
sowers  of  the  seed,  not  to  make  a  plentiful  harvest.  God 
will  prepare  the  hearts  of  his  chosen  ones,  and  his  ministers 
will  find  Psalm  cxxvi.  5,  6  ;  Mark  iv.  20-29 ;  2  Cor.  ii.  14-17, 
to  be  the  true  sayings  of  God. 


296  Miscellanies. 


"Another  parable  put  he  forth  unto  them,  saying,  The  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  likened  unto  a  man  which  sowed  good  seed  in  his  field ;  but  while 
men  slept,  his  enemy  came  and  sowed  tares  among  the  wheat,  and  went  his 
way.  But  when  the  blade  was  sprung  up,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  then 
appeared  the  tares  also.  So  the  servants  of  the  householder  came  and  said 
unto  him,  Sir,  didst  not  thou  sow  good  seed  in  thy  field?  from  whence  then 
hath  it  tares?  He  said  unto  them,  An  enemy  hath  done  this.  The  ser- 
vants said  imto  him,  Wilt  thou  then  that  we  go  and  gather  them  up?  But 
he  said.  Nay;  lest  while  ye  gather  up  the  tares,  ye  root  up  also  the  wheat 
with  them.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest ,  and  in  the  time  of 
harvest  I  will  say  to  the  reapers,  Gather  ye  together  first  the  tares,  and 
bind  them  in  bundles  to  bum  them  ;  but  gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn." — 
Matthew  xiii.  24-30. 

The  images  of  this  parable  are  of  the  same  general  char- 
acter with  those  of  the  parable  of  the  sower,  but  thej  are 
somewhat  differently  employed.  The  soil,  in  one,  is  the  mind 
and  heart  of  man ;  the  field,  in  the  other,  is  the  world,  or  (as 
is  obviously  the  meaning  of  the  term  in  this  place)  the  visi- 
ble church,  or  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  its  external,  incipi- 
ent manifestation  under  the  economy  of  the  gospel.  The 
seed,  in  one,  is  the  word  of  the  kingdom — the  word  through 
which  the  coming  of  that  kingdom,  and  the  conditions  upon 
which  its  glorious  privileges  and  rewards  are  to  be  dispensed 
and  enjoyed,  are  made  known.  The  good  seed,  in  the  other, 
are  those  who  shall  be  the  actual  partakers  of  those  privi- 
leges and  rewards ;  those  who  have  been  born  again  of  the 
word  and  the  Spirit,  who  are  plants  of  God's  own  planting, 
and  bring  forth  fruit  according  to  the  measure  of  the  grace 
which  is  given  to  them.  The  bad  seed,  the  tares,  are  the 
children  of  the  wicked  one.  In  the  parable  of  the  sower, 
there  is  no  difference  in  the  seed ;  the  difference  lies  in  the 
soil.  In  this  parable,  there  is  no  difference  in  the  field ;  the 
difference  lies  in  the  seed.  In  the  one,  the  sower  is  the  same 
in  all ;  in  the  other,  the  sowers  are  different,  the  Son  of  man 
and  the  devil.  It  is  Christ  alone  who  can  sow  good  seed  in 
his  visible  church;  and  hence  the  sower  is   not  left  unex- 


Othek  Sermons  and  Briefs.  297 

plained  here,  as  iu  the  other  parable,  where  it  means  his 
ministers  as  well  as  himself ,  the  sowing,  in  the  sense  there 
intended,  being  actually  done  by  all  who  preach  "the  word 
of  the  truth  of  the  gospel."  He  sows  his  people  in  the 
church,  in  order  that  they  may  grow,  expand,  and  develop 
themselves,  and  ripen  for  the  granary  of  heaven.  The  church 
is  the  nursery  from  which  the  plants  are  to  be  transplanted 
into  the  paradise  of  God.  See  Ephesians  iv.  11-13  for  a  full 
statement  of  the  design  of  the  visible  church,  its  oracles, 
ministry  and  ordinances.  The  qualities  of  the  soil,  which 
contribute  to  the  germination,  growth,  health,  and  vigor  of 
the  good  plant,  contribute  also  to  the  germination,  growth, 
health,  and  vigor  of  the  weed;  and  the  jDresence  of  the  weed 
tends  to  injure  the  plant.  So  the  means  and  ordinances  of  the 
church,  which  contribute  to  the  growth  of  the  Christian  and 
ripen  him  for  heaven,  contribute,  in  the  just  judgment  of 
God,  to  the  growth  of  the  reprobate  professor,  and  ripen  him 
for  hell.  None  ripen  so  rapidly  for  perdition  as  hypocritical 
professors  of  religion.  The  word  and  the  sacraments  are  a 
savor  of  death  unto  death  preeminently  to  them.  Weeds 
may  grow  upon  a  heath,  but  they  never  grow  so  luxuriantly 
as  in  a  cultivated  field.  So,  also,  the  presence  of  false  pro- 
fessors has  a  tendency  to  injure  true  believers,  though  this 
tendency  is,  in  a  great  measure,  overruled  by  the  wisdom, 
power,  and  mercy  of  God. 

I.  The  sower  of  the  good  seed,  "the  Son  of  man."  This 
designation  generally  used  by  the  Saviour  himself;  never 
used  by  any  of  the  inspired  writers  concerning  him,  except 
in  Acts  vii.  56,  and  then  for  a  very  obvious  reason  .  Christ's 
divine  nature  could  not  be  seen  by  Stephen.     Import  of  it. 

II.  The  sower  of  the  tares,  the  devil.  The  history  and 
agency  of  the  devil  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures.  His  op- 
position to  God  in  every  manifestation  of  himself,  but  espe- 
cially in  the  manifestation  which  he  has  made  of  his  charac- 
ter, relations,  plans,  and  works  in  Jesus  Christ  and  in  the> 


298  Miscellanies. 

churcli.  He  is,  emphatically,  the  enenny  of  the  sower  of  the 
good  seed.  The  importance  of  a  knowledge  and  considera- 
tion of  the  personality  and  agency  of*  the  devil.  The  parts 
of  Scripture  in  which  these  are  most  strongly  brought  out 
are  the  very  parts  in  which  the  great  truths  of  salvation  and 
the  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  are 
most  conspicuously  revealed.  (See  Trench,  in  loco.)  Con- 
firm this  by  the  character  and  experience  of  Christians. 
Those  who  know  most  of  God  are  those  who  know  most  of 
Satan.  Paul,  Peter,  Luther,  Bunyan,  Edwards,  etc.,  etc. 
Those  who  are  least  under  the  power  of  the  devil  are  those 
who  know  him  best.  The  world,  which  lieth  "in  the  wicked 
one,"  knows  him  not.  He  is  satisfied  that  even  his  being 
and  personality  should  be  denied,  if  he  can  be  the  god  of 
those  who  deny  him.  The  history  of  the  church  testifies  his 
power  both  in  the  way  of  subtlety  and  of  violence — as  a  lion 
and  as  a  serpent. 

III.  The  field,  the  world.  Show  that  the  world  here  means 
the  visible  church.  (See  verse  24.)  Justify  the  distinction 
between  the  church  visible  and  the  church  invisible  from 
such  passages  of  Scripture  as  Romans  ii.  28,  29;  ix.  6;  iv. 
12-16;  1  John  ii.  19;  Matthew  vii.  21-23;  xxii.  11-14;  xxv. 
1-12,  et  mult.  al.  Show  the  tremendous  mischief  of  neglect- 
ing this  distmction,  by  the  history  of  the  church.  Church  of 
Rome.     Sacramental  grace,  etc.,  etc. 

IV.  The  good  seed,  the  children  of  God.  Show  the  pro- 
priety of  calling  believers  by  the  same  name  with  "the  word 
of  the  kingdom"  in  the  last  parable.  Point  out  the  design  of 
incorporating  believers  in  a  visible  organization,  as  hinted  at 
in  the  introduction,  supra. 

V.  The  bad  seed,  "the  tares."  The  word  so  rendered 
occurs  nowhere  except  here  and  in  the  Greek  and  Latin 
fathers,  who  have  taken  it  from  this  parable.  The  tares  are 
not  totally  different  in  kind  from  wheat ;  it  is  a  bastard  kind 
■of  wheat,  which  is  apt  to  grow  up  with  the  genuine  crop. 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  299 

The  meal  is  poisonous,  producing  vertigo,  drowsiness,  heavi- 
ness, and  lieadaclies.  (See  Trench,  in  loco;  and  Brown  of 
-RcAdin^on,  Dictionary,  nudev  "Tares.") 

This  teaches  us  the  true  origin  of  evil.  Notice  the  dualism 
of  the  gnostic  or  oriental  philosophy;  the  god  of  matter  and 
of  evil;  the  god  of  spirit  and  of  good,  etc.,  etc.  Show  how 
Satan  "cannot  create  children  of  darkness,  but  only  spoil 
children  of  light."  The  origin  of  evil  is  not  a  generation,  but 
a  degeneration;  as  Augustine  often  expresses  it,  "it  has  not 
an  ejicient,  but  only  a  deficient,  cause."     (Trench,  ut  supra.) 

Again,  the  tares  could  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the 
wheat  There  was  a  great  resemblance  in  the  blade  of  the 
two  species.  It  was  not  until  it  "brought  forth  fruit"  that  it 
could  be  distinguished.  The  grains  of  the  tares  were  dark, 
sometimes  black,  and  thus  revealed  the  nature  of  the  plant. 
(Compare  Mark  iv.  28,  "the  blade.") 

The  application  is  obvious,  "by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them."  The  wickedness  of  false  professors  is  more  clearly 
manifested  by  its  contrast  with  and  opposition  to  the  princi- 
ples they  profess,  and  to  the  holiness  of  those  who  adorn 
their  profession ;  but  it  generally  requires  time  for  this  wick- 
edness to  reveal  itself.  A  hypocrite,  or  a  self-deceived  per- 
son may  appear  as  fair  when  admitted  into  the  church  as  a 
true  believer,  but  time  will  reveal  the  difference  between 
them.  (This  is  true  of  prhiciples  as  well  as  of  7ne)i.  Ap- 
ply it.)  o  „ 

VII  The  questions  of  the  servants,  "  Didst  thou  not  sow .-» 

etc.    "Whence  then  hath  it  tares?"     "Wilt  thou  then  that 
we  go  and  gather  them  up?" 

These  questions,  and  the  answer  of  the  sower,  are  not 
noticed  in  the  interpretation  given  of  the  parable  by  the 
Saviour,  but  they  convey  to  us,  1st,  That  perplexed,  ques- 
tioning state  of  mind  which  would  naturally  be  produced  in 
the  saints,  and  in  all  the  obedient  subjects  of  God's  gov- 
ernment, by  such  a  state  of  things  in  the  church.     An  analo- 


300  Miscellanies. 

gous  state  of  mind  is  expressed  in  such  passages  as  Psalm 
xxxvii.  73 ;  Jer.  xii.  1.  Such  things  seem  strange  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  a  God  who  is  unsearchable  in  wisdom  and  irre- 
sistible in  power.  A  like  perplexity  arises  upon  a  considera- 
tion of  the  existence  of  moral  evil  at  all  in  the  universe. 
%id,  The  impatience  and  indignation,  and  the  rash  desire  to 
change  this  condition  of  things.  (Compare  Luke  ix.  54.) 
The  Donatist  controversy  in  the  early  church ;  the  frequent 
secessions  from  churches  in  modern  times  on  account  of  the 
evils  existing  in  them,  etc. 

yil.  The  answer  of  the  sower:  "Nay,"  etc.  The  harvest, 
we  are  told,  is  the  end  of  this  dispensation.  Notice  the  dif- 
ference between  y-oaiwc,  (verse  38)  and  attovoc,  (verse  39).  It 
is  something,  therefore,  in  the  nature  and  design  of  this  dis- 
pensation that  demands  the  existence  of  this  state  of  things. 

\st,  The  characters  of  men  are  not  fully  revealed  now  (1 
Cor.  iv.  35  ;  Eom.  xiv.  4,  10-13),  and,  therefore,  in  casting 
men  out  of  the  church  irrecoverably  (for  the  casting  them  out 
in  the  way  of  discipline  is  not  referred  to  here,  as  will  ap- 
pear in  the  sequel),  we  run  the  risk  of  casting  out  those 
who  are,  or  may  be,  the  true  people  of  God,  "the  children  of 
the  kingdom," 

%id,  This  is  a  dispensation  of  testimony  and  trial,  not  of 
triumph  or  of  final  judgment  (Matt.  xxiv.  9-14;  Kev.  xi.  3  ;  1 
Cor.  ii.  1,  et  mult.  al.  See  the  passages  cited  in  last  head), 
and,  therefore,  it  is  necessary  that  there  should  be  offences. 
(Verse  41,  "  all  things  that  offend.")  See  Matt,  xviii.  7  :  Luke 
xvii.  1  ;  1  Cor.  xi.  19,  etc,  etc.  This  feature  stands  out 
prominently  in  the  epistles  to  the  seven  churches  of  Asia. 
Dwell  upon  the  mission  and  history  of  our  Saviour  himself, 
regarded  as  the  "  witness  "  of  the  Father.  (Kev.  i.  5.)  He  calls 
his  sojourn  upon  earth  the  time  of  his  temptations.  Com- 
pare Heb.  xii.  3.  Now,  as  he  was,  so  are  we  in  this  world. 
(1  John  iv.  17 ;  1  Peter  i.  6,  7.)  "  God,  by  the  mixture  of  the 
wicked  with  the  godly,  will  try  the  watchfulness  and  patience 


Othek  Sermons  and  Briefs.  301 

of  his  servants,  and  the  mixture  of  the  wicked  grieving  the 
godly  will  make  them  more  heartily  pray  for  the  day  of 
judgment."  (Fuller^  cited  by  Trench,  iti  loco,)  Compare 
Matt.  xiii.  10-16,  The  foryn  in  which  the  truth  is  presented 
is  a  trial.  Show  the  inefficiency  of  means  and  the  sovereignty 
of  the  Spirit. 

YIII.  The  final  separation ;  the  destiny  of  the  wheat  and 
the  tares,  respectively. 

This  dispensation  is  to  have  an  end,  and  God  will  vindi- 
cate his  righteousness  and  mercy,  his  goodness  and  his  sin- 
cerity. 

The  relation  of  the  harvest  and  the  vintage  as  expressed  in 
many  places  of  Scripture.  The  harvest  is  the  gathering  in  of 
the  saints  (Rev.  xiv.  14-16 ;  see  Horsley  as  cited  by  Trench) 
in  loco) ;  the  vintage  is  the  destruction  of  the  imgodly  (Rev. 
xiv.  17-20;  xix.  15;  Isaiah  iii.  1-6;  this  passage  is  often 
most  preposterously  interpreted  of  the  first  advent  of  Christ). 
"I  am  not  aware  that  a  single  unexceptionable  instance  is  to 
be  found,"  says  Horsley  (in  the  place  referred  to)  "in  which 
the  harvest  is  the  type  of  judgment."  "  In  Joel  iii.  13,  the 
ripe  harvest  is  the  harvest  of  the  vine,  that  is,  the  grapes  fit 
for  gathering,  as  appears  by  the  context.  In  Jeremiah  li.  33, 
the  act  of  threshing  the  corn  upon  the  floor,  not  the  harvest, 
is  the  image  of  judgment.  It  is  true,  the  burning  of  the 
tares  (Matt,  xiii.)  is  a  work  of  judgment,  and  of  the  time  of 
harvest,  previous  to  the  binding  of  the  sheaves ;  but  it  is  an 
accidental  adjunct  of  the  business,  not  the  harvest  itself." 
The  remark  here  made  in  regard  to  the  tares  may  also  apply 
to  Matthew  iii.  10,  or  it  may  be  better  explained  by  the  re- 
mark on  Jeremiah  li,  33. 

The  destiny  of  the  two  respectively  (verses  41-43).  The 
revelation  of  the  hidden  glory  of  the  righteous.  (Col.  iii.  3,  4; 
1  John  iii.  1, 2  ;  Matt,  xvii"  1-4 ;  Luke  xxii,  28-30 ;  xii,  32 ;  Rom, 
viii.  17-23  ;  1  Peter  iv.  12,  13;  James  i.  12;  2  Tim.  iv.  6-8;  2 
Thess.  i.  6-10;  Rev.  ii.  26-28  ;  iii.  21,  et  mult,  al.)     They  are 


302  Miscellanies. 

to  sbine  with  the  splendor  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  him- 
self. (Compare  John  xvii.  23.)  Notice  the  force  of  the  pre- 
position in  the  word  ixkafjuf'oaacu;  shine  out,  or  "forth,"  as  the 
sun  from  behind  a  cloud  which  had  obscured  it.  (Trench, 
in  loco.) 

IX.  Inferences :  1st.  The  folly  of  indulging  a  spirit  of 
complaint  about  the  errors  and  sins  which  exist  in  the  church. 
Show  the  use  and  necessity  of  discipline ;  but  in  spite  of  the 
utmost  vigilance,  and  the  most  rigid  discipline,  this  mixture 
of  good  and  evil  will  continue.  2w(/.  The  necessity  of  mak- 
ing our  calling  and  election  sure.  It  does  not  follow  that, 
because  we  are  in.  the  church  we  are  in  Christ,  drd.  The 
dreadful  doom  of  false  professors.  The  aggravation  of 
it,  arising  from  the  fact  that  they  are  those  who  ^' of  end." 
Dwell  upon  the  import  of  the  word.  (See  Trench's  note). 
See  Matt,  xviii.  6 ;  Luke  xvii.  1,  2,  and  other  like  places. 
4:th.  Encouragement  to  trust  in  Christ.  He  loves  the  church 
more  than  we  can  love  it,  and  is  able  to  take  care  of  his 
own  glory,  bth.  The  groundlessness  of  the  expectation  of 
those  who  look  for  the  millennial  glory  of  the  church  under 
this  dispensation,  which  is  a  dispensation  of  trial  and  testi- 
mony,  during  which  the  devil  is  not  chained.  (Rev.  xx.) 
"■Grow  together  till  the  harvest."  As  the  good  is  to  unfold 
itself  more  and  more,  so  also  the  evil;  there  is  to  be  no 
gradual  declension  of  evil ;  it  is  to  groiv  till  the  harvest,  and 
to  be  suddenly  extirpated  as  by  Ughtning  from  heaven. 
(Trench,  p.  8.) 


"That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the 
Spirit  is  spirit." — John  iii.  6. 

Commence  with  a  brief  recapitulation  of  the  sermon  on 
Titus  iii.  4-6 :  the  relations  of  regeneration  to  the  other  parts 
of  redemption,  and  the  relations  of  the  Spirit's  office  to  the 
offices  of  the  other  persons  of  the  Godhead. 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  303 

The  nature  of  regeneration  cannot  be  defined  or  described. 
The  agency  of  the  Spirit  in  the  work  is  compared,  in  verse  8, 
to  that  of  the  wind,  which  can  only  be  known  by  its  effects, 
or  the  circumstances  that  attend  its  operations  or  precede 
them.  The  gentle  ripple  upon  the  calm  bosom  of  the  lake ; 
the  raging  waves  of  the  sea,  which  toss  the  noble  vessel  to 
and  fro,  and  make  it  stagger  like  a  drunken  man  ;  the  pros- 
tration of  the  gnarled  oaks  of  the  forest,  which  have  endured 
and  survived  the  vicissitudes  of  many  winters — all  attest,  in 
a  greater  or  less  degree,  the  power  of  the  wind.  It  some- 
times salutes  us  in  a  whisper,  at  other  times  in  the  roar  of 
the  huiTicane ;  now  fans  us  gently,  and  then  blasts  and  deso- 
lates the  face  of  nature;  but  in  all  its  manifestations  the 
agent  is  invisible  still.  "We  hear  the  sound  thereof  .  .  :  so 
is^'every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  The  birth  of  the 
soul  into  the  kingdom  of  God  is  fully  as  mysterious  as  the 
birth  of  the  body  into  the  kingdom  of  nature ;  and  these  two 
processes  furnish  us  with  an  admirable  illustration  of  those 
harmonies,  correspondences,  which  God  has  established  be- 
tween the  natural  and  the  spiritual,  and  which  he  has  made 
the  vehicles  of  important  instruction  to  us. 

In  attempting  to  illustrate  the  nature  of  regeneration  by  a 
description  of  the  circumstances  which  precede,  attend,  or 
flow  from  it,  I  shall  follow  the  method  suggested  in  the  text, 
and  bring  out  in  contrast  some  of  the  prominent  character- 
istics of  the  offspring  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  Spirit. 

Various  significations  of  the  term  "flesh"  in  the  Scriptures: 
(1),  It  means,  sometimes,  human  nature,  without  regard  to  its 
moral  conduct,  as  in  John  i.  14:  "And  the  Word  was  made 
flesh,"  etc.;  Hebrews  ii.  14:  "Forasmuch  then  as  the  chil- 
dren are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also,"  etc. ;  et  mult, 
al.  (2),  The  material  part  of  human  nature,  as  distin- 
guished from  the  spiritual,  as  in  Numbers  xvi.  22 :  "And  they 
fell  upon  their  faces,  and  said,  O  God,  the  God  of  the  spirits 
of  all  flesh,"  etc.;  Hebrews  xii.  9:  "Furthermore,  we  have 


304  Miscellanies. 

liad  fathers  of  our  flesh  which  corrected  us,  and  we  gave 
them  reverence:  shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in  subjection 
unto  the  Father  of  spirits,  and  live  ?  "  et  mult  at.  (3),  Its  most 
common  meaning,  perhaps,  is  human  nature  in  its  fallen 
state,  or  what  is  otherwise  called  the  "old  man"  and  the 
"body  of  sin"  (Galatians  v.  16-25;  Romans  viii.  1;  et  alibi). 
This  I  take  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  expression  here,  the 
same  contrast  being  presented  between  the  flesh  and  the 
spirit,  as  to  their  nature  and  principles,  which  we  have  from 
the  passage  in  Galatians  as  to  their  manifestations  and  re- 
sults. I  proceed,  then,  to  examine  some  of  the  characteris- 
tics of  the  flesh  and  of  the  Spirit  in  contrast  with  each  other, 
in  order  that  we  may  form  some  conception  of  the  nature  of 
that  change  which  we  call  regeneration.  - 

I.  In  the  first  place,  a  man  born  after  the  flesh  is  born 
hlind ;  the  powers  of  his  understanding  have  been  impaired 
by  sin,  and,  so  far  as  the  perception  of  objects  by  means  of 
spiritual  light  is  concerned,  they  have  been  totally  destroyed. 
The  Scriptures  affirm  that  "the  natural  man  receiveth  not 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,"  etc.  (1  Cor.  ii.  14.)  The 
natural  man  is  the  man  destitute  Oi  the  special,  supernatural 
illumination  of  the  Spirit.  See  Jude,  verse  19,  where  the 
same  word  rendered  "sensual"  is  explained  by  "having  not 
the  Spirit."  The  natural  man,  therefore,  is  not  merely  a  man 
whose  ignorance  has  never  been  relieved  by  instruction  and 
education,  or  a  man  who  has,  by  long,  obstinate,  desperate 
indulgence  of  the  animal  passions,  made  himself  a  "  natural 
brute  beast"  (2  Peter  ii.  12),  and  stupefied  his  intellectual 
faculties ;  but  any  man  who  has  not  the  Spirit  of  God,  how- 
ever large  his  capacities,  or  laborious  his  studies,  or  exalted 
his  attainments  in  other  departments  of  knowledge.  The 
things  of  the  Spirit  lie  beyond  the  range  of  his  vision,  and 
his  conceptions  of  them  are  as  inadequate  as  a  blind  man's 
conception  of  colors.  I  do  not  mean  to  deny  that  a  natural 
man  may  be  very  successful  in  his  investigations  of  the  works 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  305 

of  God,  and  augment  his  power  over  the  reahn  of  nature  so 
as  to  make  it  in  a  marvellous  degree  subservient  to  the  pro- 
motion of  the  ends  of  his  social  and  political  existence ;  nor 
that  he  is  competent,  by  a  diligent  and  persevering  applica- 
tion of  his  intellectual  faculties,  to  arrive  at  the  meaniug 
of  the  propositions  of  Scripture,  and  to  digest  them,  accord- 
ing to  their  logical  relations,  into  a  symmetrical  body  of  di- 
vinity. A  poet  born  blind  has  given  the  most  graphic  and 
beautiful  descriptions  of  the  variety  of  hill  and  valley,  of 
meadow  and  woods,  of  light  and  shade,  which  adorn  a  land- 
scape ;  and  yet,  if  he  had  been  asked  what  his  notion  of  scar- 
let was,  he  would  probably  have  answered  that  it  was  like 
the  sound  of  a  trumpet.  I  rejoice  that  the  understanding  of 
man  has  not  been  so  utterly  destroyed  by  the  tremendous 
catastrophe  of  the  fall  as  to  retain  no  vestige  of  its  original 
glory  as  it  came  from  the  Father  of  lights.  It  is  a  temple 
whose  ruins  are  in  such  a  state  of  preservation  as  to  be  ca- 
pable of  being  rebuilt  by  the  original  Architect.  But,  alas! 
it  is  so  overgrown  with  shrubs  and  briers  and  poisonous  vines 
that  the  light  of  heaven  cannot  penetrate  its  dark  recesses, 
and  it  has  become  the  haunt  of  wolves  and  vipers  and  all 
creeping  things.  But  let  us  descend  to  particulars,  and  point 
out  some  instances  in  which  the  depravity  of  man's  under- 
standing as  to  spiritual  objects  is  demonstrated  with  melan- 
choly certainty;  and,  in  order  to  make  the  truth  more  im- 
pressive, we  shall  first  select  examples  from  that  class  of 
men  who  have  distinguished  themselves  by  their  intellectual 
superiority ;  for  surely,  if  the  things  of  God  could  be  known 
by  powers  of  reason,  we  should  expect  the  attainment  to  be 
made  by  those  whom  he  has  most  munificently  endowed, 
and  who  have  most  industriously  cherished  and  improved 
the  gifts.     Yet  what  are  the  facts? 

First,  As  to  the  recognition  of  the  being  and  attributes  of 
God.     There   are   men   who   have  measured   the   distances 
among  the  stars,  distances  which  the  mind  breaks  down  in 
20 


306  Miscellanies. 

attempting  to  conceive ;  who  have  weighed  the  members  of 
the  solar  system  in  balances ;  who  have  meditated  upon  the 
mingled  uniformity  and  variety  which  characterize  the  ob- 
jects and  processes  of  nature,  until  their  strong  emotions  of 
delight  have  found  vent  in  expressions  of  rapture ;  and  yet 
they  have  referred  all  the  grandeur,  harmony,  and  beauty  to 
the  blind  operation  of  laws  instead  of  the  intelligent  provi- 
dence of  God.  "That  such  a  man  as  Humboldt,"  if  I  may 
borrow  the  example  and  language  of  another  (McCosh,  The 
Divine  Governinent,  page  142),  "that  the  mind  of  Humboldt, 
stored  with  all  the  physical  knowledge  and  human  learning, 
should  have  swept,  as  on  angels'  wings,  through  the  visible 
universe  without  discovering  a  God,  or,  at  least,  without  ex- 
pressing an  admiration  of  his  perfections,  is  the  most  lament- 
able proof  which  these  latter  ages  have  furnished  of  the  true 
greatness  of  the  human  mind  in  itself,  and  of  its  accompany- 
ing spiritual  blindness."  "  The  undevout  astronomer  is  mad," 
says  one  of  our  poets ;  and  yet  astronomers,  while  resolving, 
by  the  aid  of  powerful  telescopes,  the  nebulae  of  the  heavens 
into  stars,  which  may  themselves  be  suns  and  the  centres  of 
other  systems  grander  and  more  complex  than  our  own, 
have  resolved  the  existence  and  relations  of  these  stars  into 
the  operation  of  known  and  unknown  laws,  rather  than 
into  the  will  of  him  who  launched  them  into  space,  and  calls 
them  by  their  names.  Oh!  the  deplorable  perverseness  of 
man,  to  hide  from  himself  God  while  in  the  very  sanctuary 
of  nature,  and  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  most  impress- 
ive evidences  of  his  wisdom  and  power  and  goodness !  So  to 
abuse  and  pervert  the  order  of  sequences  which  the  Framer 
of  the  universe  has  established  to  correspond  with  the  intel- 
lectual constitution  of  man,  to  make  experience  possible  as  a 
source  of  knowledge,  and  to  stimulate  inquiry  by  the  pros- 
pect of  an  adequate  reward — so  to  abuse  the  order  estab- 
lished with  these  beneficent  designs  as  to  make  it  a  substi- 
tute for  God! 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  307 

Second,  Even  among  those  who  acknowledge  in  general 
the  being  and  attributes  of  God,  there  is  an  extraordinary 
blindness  as  to  the  nature  of  their  Maker  and  the  nature  of 
the  agency  which  he  exerts  in  upholding  the  frame  of  the 
universe.  They  see  clearly  enough  the  wisdom  and  power 
which  are  exhibited  in  impressing  upon  particles  and  masses 
of  matter  the  properties  which  observation  and  experiment 
inform  us  they  possess,  whether  it  be  the  mechanical  proper- 
ties which  operate  on  so  grand  a  scale  in  the  innumerable 
worlds  which  revolve  above  us  in  the  immensity  of  space,  or  the 
chemical  properties  which  the  experiments  of  the  laboratory 
demonstrate  to  belong  to  matter  in  a  state  of  minute  division. 
They  see  still  more  clearly  the  wisdom  displayed  in  the  ad- 
justment of  these  properties  one  to  the  other,  so  they  may 
have  full  scope  to  develop  themselves  in  their  appropriate 
results — adjustments  without  which,  as  has  been  ably  shown, 
the  same  properties  would  be  the  cause  of  endless  disorder 
and  confusion,  instead  of  regularity  and  harmony,  "of  chaos 
instead  of  cosmos."  They  are  able  to  appreciate  the  force 
of  the  argument  for  the  distinct  personality  of  God,  drawn 
from  the  observations  of  the  human  will,  and  its  relations  to 
the  muscles  of  the  animal  frame  and  to  external  objects,  so- 
that  they  regard  with  deserved  contempt  the  dreams  of  phil- 
osophers who  confound  the  universe  with  God,  or  make  it 
the  residence  of  his  Spirit,  as  the  body  is  the  tenement  of 
the  soul  of  a  man.  But  with  the  natural  attributes  and  dis- 
tinct personality  of  the  Creator  their  theology  ends.  Their 
meditations  are  confined  to  objects  which  do  not  reveal  the 
moral  character  of  God.  "  When  we  wish  to  ascertain,"  says 
McCosh,  "the  moral  character  of  a  fellowman,  we  look  to 
something  else  than  his  mere  works  of  mechanical  and  intel- 
lectual skill.  These  can  exhibit  nothing  but  those  qualities 
from  which  they  have  sprung,  the  ability  of  the  hand  or  of 
the  understanding;  and  when  we  are  bent  on  knowing  his 
character,   we  inquire  into  the  use   which  he  makes  of  his 


308  Miscellanies. 

talents  and  of  the  products  and  results  of  them,  and  generally 
into  his  conduct  towards  other  beings — towards  God  and 
towards  man.  Our  natural  theologians  have  acquired  about  as 
enlarged  and  accurate  a  view  of  the  higher  perfections  of  the 
divine  Being  as  they  might  obtain  of  the  moral  and  religious 
character  of  an  architect  by  inspecting  the  building  which  he 
planned,  or  of  an  artisan  by  examining  the  watch  constructed 
by  him,  or  of  a  husbandman  by  walking  over  the  field  which 
he  had  cultivated."  "If  we  would  discover  the  justice  and 
holiness  of  God,  and  the  qualities  which  distinguish  the 
righteous  and  benevolent  Governor,  we  must  look  to  the 
bearing  of  his  works  and  dispensations  on  the  state  and 
character  of  man."  {Div.  Gov.,  p.  25  of  Carter's.)  The 
relations  of  the  works  of  God  to  man,  and  that  peculiar 
feature  of  man's  constitution  which  makes  him  conscious  of 
moral  obligation,  the  conscience  or  moral  sense,  these  men 
do  not  make  the  subjects  of  reflection,  and  hence  their  God 
is  an  architect  of  wonderful  skill  and  power,  and  nothing 
more.  He  is  the  God  of  Free  Masonry,  an  infinite  me- 
chanic, with  the  difi'erence  only,  that  he  has  created  matter 
and  given  it  the  properties  that  belong  to  it,  while  his  wor- 
shippers are  obliged  to  accommodate  themselves  to  properties 
previously  established,  and  which  they  have  no  power  to 
change  or  control.  There  is  ingenuity  and  skill  displayed  in 
the  construction  of  a  revolving  pistol  or  of  an  "infernal  ma- 
chine," as  well  as  in  the  secretion  of  an  infant's  nourishment 
in  the  mother's  breast,  or  in  the  conscience  of  a  moral  being ; 
but  the  design  and  purpose  in  all  these  cases  is  different,  and 
our  conceptions  of  the  character  of  the  maker  differ  corre- 
spondingly. 

As  the  notions  of  men  of  science  generally  are  sadly  defec- 
tive as  to  the  character  of  God,  so  they  are  also  as  to  the 
agency  he  exerts  in  upholding  the  frame  of  the  universe. 
He  is  virtually  excluded  from  his  own  dominions.  The  world 
is  a  vast  machine  which  has  been  put  in  motion,  and  then 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  309 

allowed  to  work  itself.  Not  even  the  extraordinary  events 
that  cannot  be  referred  to  known  laws,  and  which  occur  in  ob- 
vious contravention  of  known  laws,  are  admitted  to  justify  the 
supposition  of  any  special  interference  of  him  who  arranged 
the  parts  of  the  machine  and  set  it  in  motion.  The  universe 
is  only  Babbage's  calculating  machine,  which,  after  an  indefi- 
nite number  of  revolutions,  evolves  a  figure  which  we  did  not 
exjDect,  but  which,  after  all,  is  evolved  not  by  any  new  inter- 
ference of  the  artisan,  but  according  to  the  law  of  the  appa- 
ratus itself,  a  law  impressed  upon  it  at  the  time  of  its  con- 
struction. At  best,  God  is  but  the  first  link  in  a  chain  of 
causes.  So  terrible  to  the  soul  of  fallen  man  is  the  thousrht 
of  an  ever-present,  ever-active,  all-seeing,  and  all-pervading 
God !  He  will  not  be  allowed  to  live  and  act  in  the  works  of 
his  own  hands;  the  material  creation  must  be  drawn  into 
the  conspiracy  of  apostate  dust  and  ashes  against  the  throne 
and  power  of  the  eternal. 

Thus  far  we  have  been  endeavoring  to  point  out  some 
instances  of  the  blindness  of  men  occupying  the  very  highest 
place  in  the  scale  of  intellectual  power,  as  to  the  character  of 
God  revealed  in  his  works.  Let  us,  in  the  next  place,  con- 
sider some  manifestations  of  this  blindness  as  to  the  char- 
acter and  plans  of  God  as  revealed  in  his  word.  And  in 
what  I  shall  say,  I  will  confine  myself  to  those  who  acknow- 
ledge the  Scriptures  to  be  a  revelation  from  God.  Of 
those  who  deny  the  Scriptures  to  be  a  revelation  from  God ; 
of  those  who  deny  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures,  many 
of  whom  belong  to  the  acutest  observers  of  the  works  of 
nature,  enough  perhaps  has  been  said  in  the  remarks  which 
have  been  made.  If  time  allowed,  however,  it  might  be 
shown  that  nothing  more  clearly  demonstrates  the  incura- 
ble blindness  of  the  offspring  of  the  flesh  than  the  inabihty 
to  discern  the  presence  of  Jehovah  in  the  Bible,  and  to  ap- 
preciate the  evidence  by  which  that  book  is  proved  to 
have  been  the  inspiration  of  his  Spirit.     The  glorious  lumi- 


310  Miscellanies. 

nary,  which  in  the  morning  comes  forth  as  a  bridegroom  out 
of  his  chamber  and  rejoices  as  a  strong  man  to  run  a  race, 
which  proclaims  to  the  ear  of  reason  iu  every  part  of  the 
habitable  globe  which  feels  the  power  of  its  genial,  animat- 
ing, fructifying  beams  that  the  hand  which  made  it  is  divine 
and  that  its  brightest  rays  are  darkness  itself,  compared  with 
those  which  radiate  from  the  face  of  him  who  launched  it 
into  space,  does  not  more  luminously  convey  the  evidence  of 
its  own  existence  than  the  Scriptures  reveal  the  footsteps  of 
the  Father  of  lights,  in  whom  is  no  darkness  at  all.  And  if 
some  potent  delusion  of  hell  did  not  possess  the  minds  of 
inen,  the  evidence  would  be  as  promptly  apprehended  and 
acquiesced  in  in  the  one  case  as  iu  the  other, 

(1),  The  blindness  of  the  flesh,  in  the  next  place,  then,  is 
manifest  from  the  fact  that  even  with  the  Scriptures  before 
them,  and  their  divine  authority  acknowledged,  men  continue 
to  entertain  the  most  defective  apprehensions  of  the  char- 
acter of  God ;  frame  their  conceptions  of  him  more  from  the 
complexion  of  their  own  feelings  than  from  the  materials 
furnished  in  the  infallible  record  of  truth.  The  light  which 
is  diffused  through  the  atmosphere  is  not  a  simple  elementary 
substance,  but  has  been  ascertained,  by  analogies,  to  be  com- 
pounded of  several  differently  colored  rays,  and  the  color  of 
objects  is  always  determined  by  the  color  of  the  rays  which 
it  reflects.  Some,  by  the  nature  of  their  surfaces,  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  particles  of  matter  composing  the  surfaces,  or  the 
nature  of  the  particles  themselves,  reflect  only  the  yellow 
rays  of  the  spectrum,  and  the  others  are  absorbed;  and  in 
such  cases  the  objects  are  said  to  be  of  a  yellow  color.  The 
same  pure  white  light  falls  upon  all  the  flowers  of  a  highly 
cultivated  garden,  but  how  endlessly  diversified  the  hues  ex- 
hibited to  the  eye!  These  laws  of  nature  have  been  em- 
ployed by  the  writer  already  referred  to  (McCosh,  p.  20),  to 
illustrate  the  manner  in  which  the  character  of  God  is  repre- 
sented to  the  minds  of   men.     "The  beautiful  rays  coming 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  311 

from  the  face  of  God  and  shining  with  such  loveHness  around 
us  are  reflected  and  refracted  when  they  come  in  contact 
with  the  human  heart.  Each  heart  is  apt  to  receive  only 
such  as  please  it,  and  to  reject  others.  Hence.,  the  many- 
colored  aspects,  some  of  them  hideous  in  the  extreme,  in 
which  God  is  presented  to  different  nations  and  individuals. 
Hence,  the  room  for  each  man  fashioning  a  god  after  his  own 
heart.  An  evil  conscience,  reflecting  only  the  red  rays,  calls 
up  a  god  who  delights  in  blood.  The  man  of  fine  sentiment, 
reflecting  only  the  softer  rays,  paints  from  the  hues  of  his 
own  feelings  a  god  of  mere  sensibility,  tender  as  that  of  the 
hero  of  a  modern  romance.  The  man  of  glowing  imagination 
will  array  him  in  gorgeous,  but  delusive  coloring,  and  in  the 
flowing  drapery  of  majesty  and  grandeur,  beneath  which, 
however,  there  is  little  or  no  reality.  The  observer  of  laws 
will  represent  him  as  the  embodiment  of  order,  as  blank  and 
black  as  the  sun  looks  when  we  have  gazed  upon  him  till 
we  are  no  longer  sensible  of  his  brightness.  It  is  seldom  in 
the  apprehension  of  mankind  that  all  the  rays  so  meet  as  to 
give  us  the  pure  white  light,  and  to  exhibit  God  in  all  his 
holiness  and  goodness  as  the  fountain  of  lights  in  whom  is 
no  darkness  at  all."  These  remarks  of  our  author  are  just 
and  beautiful  in  the  application  which  he  has  made  of  them 
to  the  revelation  of  the  character  of  God  in  the  works  of 
nature  ;  but  they  are  not  less  so  in  the  application  which  may 
be  made  of  them  to  the  revelation  of  his  character  in  the 
word.  The  Channings  and  Servetuses  who  admit,  as  well 
as  the  Bolingbrokes  who  deny,  the  divine  authority  of  the 
Scriptures  are  alike  found  in  the  class  of  those  that  know 
not  God,  and  especially  know  him  not  as  of  purer  eyes  than 
to  behold  iniquity  and  as  the  determined  avenger  of  sin, 
wherever  found  in  the  universe  which  he  made  and  governs. 
"What  is  Socinianism  and  universalism  but  a  denial  of  the 
moral  character  of  God,  and  a  substitution  for  it  of  a  sickly 
sentimentalism    which    seeks    its    own    gratification    at    the 


312  Miscellanies. 

expense  of  truth  and  justice?  What  is  paganism  but  a 
denial  of  the  moral  character  of  God,  and  substituting  for  it 
a  disgusting  compound  of  blood-thirstiness  and  licentious- 
ness, a  strange,  monstrous  combination  of  a  swine  and  a  thug? 
What  is  paganism,  even  in  the  "  elegant  mythology  "  of  Greece, 
but  the  substitution  of  the  sensual  appetites  and  the  spiritual 
persons  of  men  themselves  for  the  pure  moral  perfections  of 
Jehovah,  the  impersonation  or  reproduction  of  fallen  human 
nature  in  the  groves  and  temples  ?  What  is  popery  but  a 
denial  of  the  moral  character  of  God  and  the  substitution  for 
it  of  an  insatiable  thirst  for  gold,  a  fiendish  delight  in  the 
tortures  of  the  holiest  men  who  have  ever  lived,  and  an  indif- 
ference to  moral  distinctions  which  can  enjoin  a  fast  on 
Friday  and  smile  at  the  violation  of  oaths,  at  simony,  at  the 
most  monstrous  enormities  which  ever  cursed  the  earth? 
Paganism  had  no  written  record  from  which  to  frame  its  con- 
ceptions of  the  moral  governor,  and  the  others  had;  but  is 
there  much  to  choose  between  them?  Compare  them  all 
with  the  Scriptures,  and  which  betrays  the  most  deplorable 
blindness  in  regard  to  what  those  Scriptures  teach  ? 


"Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  wilL 
do." — John  viii.  44. 

The  Jewish  people,  at  the  period  when  these  words  were 
uttered  by  our  Saviour,  were,  probably,  of  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  the  most  depraved  and  the  most  abandoned.  While 
the  whole  Gentile  world  had  been  consigned,  in  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God,  to  the  undisturbed  dominion  of  the  most 
degrading  forms  of  superstition  ;  while  they  lived  in  total 
ignorance  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  of  that  illustrious  destiny 
which  their  own  nature  was  intended  to  accomplish ;  while 
they  lived  in  a  brutish  insensibility  to  the  obligations  which 
the  will  of  God  imposed  upon  them,  and,  making  their  own 
will  the  rule  of  their  conduct,    "walked    in   lasciviousness. 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  SIS' 

hists,  excess  of  wine,  revellings,  banquetings,  and  abominable 
idolatries," '  the  Jews  had  been  made  the  peculiar  favorites 
of  heaven.  God  had  appeared  for  their  deliverance  when 
they  groaned  under  the  lash  of  their  Egyptian  task-masters; 
had  inflicted  on  their  oppressors  the  most  tremendous 
plagues ;  had  brought  them  out  of  the  house  of  bondage  with 
a  strong  hand  and  an  outstretched  arm,  and  had  given  them 
upon  the  mount  in  the  wilderness,  in  the  midst  of  thunder 
and  lightning  and  smoke,  a  knowledge  of  his  will.  He  had 
with  his  own  hand  sustained,  guided,  and  defended  them 
during  their  dreary  pilgrimage  to  the  land  of  promise  ;  had 
driven  their  enemies  before  them  and  established  them  upon 
territory  which  yielded  to  none  upon  the  globe  in  fertihty  of 
soil  and  other  natural  advantages;  had  bestowed  upon  them 
throughout  their  whole  subsequent  history  the  richest  boun- 
ties of  his  providence  and  grace ;  and,  yet,  with  all  this  array 
of  circumstances  suited  to  strengthen  their  allegiance,  and  to 
ensasre  them  to  a  course  of  faithful  obedience  to  God,  we 
find  them  continually  falling  into  the  most  shameful  aposta- 
sies from  the  faith  and  defiling  themselves  with  the  abomi- 
nations of  the  heathen  nations  that  surrounded  them.  The 
controlling  principle  of  their  conduct  was,  "  an  evil  heart  of 
unbelief  in  departing  from  the  living  God,"  that  God  who 
had  given  them  such  signal  proofs  of  his  existence  and  his 
providence.  They  were  exposed  to  furnace  after  furnace, 
desolated  by  war  and  withered  by  pestilence  and  famine ;  but 
the  hottest  fires  of  discipline  failed  to  consume  their  dross. 
They  had  endured  the  rod  of  their  covenant  God,  till  from 
the  sole  of  the  foot  even  to  the  head  the  whole  body  was 
full  of  "wounds  and  bruises  and  putrefying  sores";  and  yet 
this  folly  and  obstinacy  was  not  subdued.  Their  hearts  were 
still  full  of  bitterness  and  their  hands  of  blood.  The  poison 
of  asps  was  under  their  lips,  and  destruction  and  misery  in 
their  ways.     But  at  the  period  of  our  Saviour's  advent  their 

'  1  Peter  iv.  3. 


314  Miscellanies. 

wickedness  was  still  more  enormous,  if  possible,  than  it  had 
been,  as  we  may  gather  from  the  inspired  narrative  and  from 
their  own  historian.  From  the  top  to  the  bottom  of  the 
social  scale,  the  learned  and  the  unlearned,  the  rich  and  the 
poor,  were  all  pervaded  with  a  spirit  of  contempt  for  God  and 
for  the  ordinances  of  his  worship.  The  most  elevated  classes, 
those  which  in  every  community  give  tone  and  direction  to 
the  sentiments  and  practices  of  the  multitude,  were  totally 
corrupt.  A  large  proportion  of  them  were  infected  with  in- 
fidelity and  atheism ;  and  a  still  larger  part  with  a  spirit  of 
self-righteousness,  which  in  the  sight  of  God  was  an  object 
of  the  greatest  abhorrence.  And,  hence,  we  find  John  the 
Baptist  denouncing  them,  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elijah, 
as  "a  generation  of  vipers,"  a  vile,  creeping,  loathsome  race, 
full  of  venom  against  holiness,  righteousness,  and  truth.  "  O 
generation  of  vipers,  who  hath  warned  you  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come!"  And  our  Saviour  himself,  with  all  his 
meekness  and  gentleness,  with  all  his  tenderness  and  com- 
passion for  the  imperfections  and  infirmities  of  men,  exclaims 
in  the  fervor  of  his  spirit:  "Ye  serpents,  ye  generation  of 
vipers,  how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell?"  If  such 
was  the  character  of  the  leaders  of  the  people,  we  may  readily 
imagine  the  moral  condition  of  the  people  themselves. 

The  text  contains  another  description  of  the  character  of 
the  Jews,  and  seems  to  have  been  extorted  from  our  Saviour 
by  one  of  those  exhibitions  of  their  malignity  which  they 
were  constantly  making  in  their  controversies  with  him  in 
reference  to  his  claims  as  the  Messiah  promised  in  their 
Scriptures.  He  had  asserted  that  they  were  in  bondage,  and 
that  they  could  be  emancipated  only  by  believing  in  him 
who  was  the  Son  of  God.  They  replied  that  they  were 
"Abraham's  seed,  and  were  never  in  bondage  to  any  man." 
Our  Saviour  then  rejoins,  after  explaining  what  he  meant  by 
bondage,  and  again  affirming  that  the  Son  alone  can  make 
them  free:     "I  know  that  ye  are  Abraham's  seed,   but  ye 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  315 

seek  to  kill  me,  because  my  word  lias  no  place  in  you.  I 
speak  that  which  I  have  seen  with  my  Father,  and  ye  do  what 
ye  have  seen  with  your  father."  He  admitted  they  were  the 
seed  of  Abraham  according  to  the  flesh,  but  their  malice  to- 
wards himself  in  rejecting  his  testimony,  and  in  seeking  his 
Hfe,  indicated  that  they  possessed  the  spirit  of  a  very  dif- 
ferent father:  "Ye  do  that  which  ye  have  seen  with  your 
father."  They  replied,  still  pretending  not  to  apprehend  his 
meaning,  "Abraham  is  our  father."  Jesus  then  said,  "If  ye 
were  Abraham's  children,  ye  would  do  the  works  of  Abra- 
ham. But  now  ye  seek  to  kill  me,  a  man  that  hath  told  you 
the  truth,  which  I  have  heard  of  God;  this  did  not  Abra- 
ham; ye  do  the  deeds  of  your  father."  He  was  willing  to 
concede  that  they  were  the  children  of  Abraham,  but  not  in 
that  sense  which  was  alone  of  any  consequence  or  advan- 
tage; they  were  not  his  children  by  possessing  his  image 
and  walking  in  his  steps ;  they  did  the  deeds  of  a  very  differ- 
ent father.  As  it  could  be  no  longer  disguised  that  our 
Saviour  spoke  of  a  father  in  a  spiritual  sense,  they  rephed 
that  God  was  their  Father.  Then  said  they  to  him,  "We  be 
not  born  of  fornication ;  we  have  our  Father,  even  God.'' 
*' Jesus  said  unto  them.  If  God  were  your  Father,  ye  would 
love  me,  for  I  proceeded  forth  and  came  from  God ;  neither 
came  I  of  myself,  but  he  sent  me."  He  then  tells  them 
plainly  that  they  pretended  not  to  understand  his  meaning 
because  they  "could  not  hear  his  word";  that  is  to  say,  be- 
cause they  were  unwilling  to  receive  the  unwelcome  truth  it 
contained,  and  that  the  devil  was  the  father  to  which  he  had 
so  frequently  alluded.  "  Why  do  you  not  understand  my 
speech?  even  because  ye  cannot  hear  my  word.  Ye  are  of 
your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do." 
When  we  read  this  appalling  description  of  the  character 
and  condition  of  the  Jews,  we  are  ready  to  persuade  our- 
selves that  it  cannot  possibly  apply  to  any  class  of  men  at 
the  present  day,  certainly  r^ot  to  any  who  are  members  of  a 


316  Miscellanies. 

Christian  community,  and  formally  acknowledge  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  as  the  Redeemer  of  the  world.  The  Jews  were 
always  a  "disobedient  and  gainsaying  people,"  continually 
departing  from  the  faith,  and  renouncing  allegiance  to  the 
Lord  of  Hosts ;  they  were  guilty  of  the  most  flagrant  idola- 
try, and  practiced  the  vilest  abominations,  and  they  consum- 
mated their  villainy  by  crucifying  the  Lord  of  Glory.  We 
are  willing  to  admit  that  they  were  justly  entitled  to  the  de- 
signation which  our  Saviour  here  applies  to  them,  of  "  chil- 
dren of  the  devil,"  and  that  they  richly  deserved  to  be  pun- 
ished, as  they  were,  in  the  destruction  of  their  city  and  all 
its  attending  horrors.  We  acknowledge  that  they  were 
"desperately  wicked,"  and  that  it  is  a  righteous  retribution 
which  has  blasted  them  with  a  curse,  and  made  them  "  a 
byword  and  a  hissing"  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
But  we  repudiate  with  horror  the  thought  of  perpetuating 
their  crimes,  or  of  walking  in  their  steps,  and,  therefore,  this 
description  will  not  apply  to  us.  But,  hard  as  the  saying  is, 
unwilling  as  we  are  to  receive  it,  we  have  the  authority  ot  the 
very  apostle  who  records  it  for  applying  it  to  all  men  in 
their  natural  condition  of  rebellion  against  God,  to  all  who 
are  not  led  and  animated  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  In  the 
eighth  verse  of  the  third  chapter  of  this  epistle,  John  says  : 
"He  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil,  for  the  devil  sinneth 
from  the  beginning.  For  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was 
manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil. 
Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin."  In  this 
passage  men  are  divided  into  two  great  classes.  One  class 
comprehends  all  those  who  commit  sin.  all,  that  is,  who  com- 
mit it  habitually  and  constantly,  and  are  under  its  dominion. 
These  the  apostle  says  are  "ot  the  devil."  The  other  class 
comprehends  all  who  do  not  commit  sin,  that  is,  habitually 
and  constantly,  all  who  are  not  under  the  dominion  of  sin. 
These,  he  says,  are  "  born  of  God,"  or  are  the  children  of 
God.     All,  therefore,  who  are  not  the  children  of  God  are 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  817 

the  children  of  the  devil.  There  is  no  middle  ground,  or 
third  class.  Every  human  being,  however  correct  and  how- 
ever honorable  his  conduct  may  be  in  the  eye  of  the  world, 
however  just  and  however  aimablehis  character,  when  judged 
by  the  conventional  standards  of  morality,  if  he  has  not  been 
quickened  by  the  Spirit,  and  united  to  the  Son  of  God,  is  a 
child  of  the  devil  and  an  heir  of  hell.  The  same  truth  is 
conveyed  in  the  curse  which  was  pronounced  upon  the  temp- 
ter in  the  garden:  "I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the 
woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed."  This  is  a  de- 
scription of  that  warfare  which  is  waged  between  the  king- 
dom of  light  and  kingdom  of  darkness,  holiness,  and  sin, 
heaven  and  hell ;  and  all  who  are  enlisted  under  the  banners 
of  the  serpent  are  called  his  seed.  And  throughout  the  Old 
Testament  history,  "children  of  Belial"  (a  name  given  to  Sa- 
tan, on  account,  perhaps,  of  his  lawlessness  and  worthless- 
ness)  is  a  very  common  expression  for  wicked  men — those 
who  exhibit,  in  an  unusual  degree,  the  image  of  Satan.' 

In  prosecuting  this  subject,  I  shall  inquire,  iu  the  first 
place,  in  what  sense  men  in  their  natural  condition  are  chil- 
dren of  the  devil,  and  then  mention  some  of  those  instances 
which  go  to  illustrate  this  truth.  And  may  the  Spirit  of  all 
truth  fill  us  with  shame  and  confusion  of  face,  and  humble 
us  iu  the  dust  in  view  of  our  pollutions  and  vileness,  and  may 
he  lead  us  to  Christ,  in  whom  we  maybe  made  "the  sons  and 
daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty,  be  cleansed  of  all  'filthi- 
ness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,'"  and  made  "meet  to  be  partak- 
ers of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light." 

I.  As  to  the  sense  in  which  men  in  their  natural  condition 
are  called  children  of  the  devil.  The  relation  of  father  and 
son  is  very  frequently  employed  in  the  Scriptures  for  the  pur- 
poses of  illustration.  Any  person  is  said  to  be  the  son  of  any 
person  or  thing  whose  ends  and  purposes  his  character  or 
conduct    or    position  has   a  tendency  to   subserve,   or  with 

'  See,  also,  Matthew  xiii.  38. 


318  Miscellanies. 

which  he  exhibits,  in  any  of  these  circumstances,  conformity 
and  correspondence.  Angels,  for  example,  are  called  the 
sons  of  God,  because  in  their  spiritual  nature,  their  holiness 
and  their  intelligence,  they  exhibit  the  image  of  God,  being 
made  in  these  particulars  after  the  likeness  of  their  Creator, 
and  because  their  employment  is  the  advancement  of  his 
glory  and  obedience  to  his  will.  Adam  is  called  the  Son  of 
God  in  his  state  of  innocence  for  the  same  reason,  as  well  as 
on  account  of  his  immediate  creation  by  the  hands  of  God. 
All  believers  receive  the  same  designation  and  for  the  same 
reason,  though  there  is  a  nobler  and  more  glorious  import  in 
the  appellation  when  applied  to  them  than  when  applied  to 
angels,  or  to  Adam  in  his  state  of  primitive  integrity,  since 
they  are  adopted  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  true,  real,  and 
only  begotten  Son  of  God.  In  the  same  way  unbelievers  are 
called  the  "children  of  wrath,"  the  "children  of  hell,"  and 
the  "children  of  disobedience,"  since  all  their  faculties  and 
powers  are  engaged  in  a  course  of  rebellion  against  God,  and 
this  course  is  fitting  them  for  the  wrath  of  God,  which  shall 
one  day  be  experienced  by  them,  if  the  grace  of  God  pre- 
vent not,  in  the  flames  of  hell.  So,  also,  our  Saviour  calls 
Judas  "the  son  of  perdition,"  and  the  apostate  Church  of 
Rome  is  called,  in  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians, 
by  the  same  name,  since,  though  it  pretends  to  hold  to  the 
succession  of  Peter,  it  has  certainly  succeeded  only  to  Judas, 
being,  like  him,  remarkable  for  nothing  more  than  for  love  of 
money  and  for  treachery  to  Christ,  and  is  ordained  to  the 
same  condemnation.  The  terms  of  this  relation  are  also 
used  in  reference  even  to  inanimate  objects,  as,  for  instance, 
in  the  fifth  chapter  of  Isaiah:  "My  well  beloved  hath  a  vine- 
yard in  a  very  fruitful  hill."  The  words  "very  fruitfiil  hill," 
are  rendered  in  the  margin,  "the  horn  of  the  son  of  oil," 
that  is,  a  hill  adapted  to  the  growth  and  culture  of  the  olive. 
See,  also,  twelfth  chapter  and  fourth  verse  of  Ecclesiastes, 
"dausrhters  of  music." 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  319 

According  to  a  similar  analogy,  all  men  in  their  natural 
condition  may  be  called  the  children  of  the  devil,  since  they 
bear  his  image,  "  do  his  deeds,"  and  promote  the  accompUsh- 
ment  of  his  designs.  Our  Saviour  denied  that  the  Jews  were 
the  children  of  Abraham  in  a  spiritual  sense,  because  they 
did  what  Abraham  would  not  have  done.  Abraham  saw  his 
day  and  was  glad,  though  he  saw  it  only  obscurely  and  at  a 
distance  in  the  promises  of  God.  They,  on  the  other  hand, 
hated  him  in  whom  Abraham  rejoiced,  though  they  Hved  in 
the  same  generation,  and  witnessed  with  their  bodily  eyes 
his  marvellous  works  of  beneficence  and  of  power.  They 
resembled  their  boasted  progenitor  in  nothing,  and  hence 
their  claims  to  be  his  children  in  any  other  than  a  mere 
natural  sense  were  wholly  unfounded.  But  there  was  one 
being  they  did  resemble,  whose  lust  they  indulged  and  whose 
works  they  performed,  and  he  was  the  only  being  with  whom 
they  could,  with  any  propriety,  claim  the  relationship  of 
spiritual  children.  "Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the 
lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do."  And  this  relationship  with 
the  arch-enemy  of  God  all  possess  who  are  in  the  gall  of 
bitterness  and  the  bond  of  iniquity.  Our  Saviour  himself 
declares  that  all  who  are  not  for  him  are  against  him,  and 
they  who  gather  not  with  him  scatter  abroad.  If  men  do 
not  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  light,  they  belong  to  the  king- 
dom of  darkness ;  there  is  no  neutrality  in  this  war.  Now, 
the  Scriptures  represent  the  kingdom  of  darkness  as  being 
under  the  complete  dominion  of  the  devil,  governed  by  his 
laws  and  supported  and  defended  by  his  power.  This  king- 
dom is  called  very  frequently  "the  world,"  and  the  devil  is 
actually  called  its  god;  he  is  actually  represented  as  the 
object  of  worship  to  ungodly  men,  and  as  exercising  the 
same  power  over  their  thoughts,  words  and  actions  which 
God  exercises  over  the  thoughts  and  actions  of  his  children. 
"If  our  gospel  be  hid,"  says  the  apostle,  "it  is  hid  to  them 
that  are  lost ;  in  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded 


'320  Miscellanies. 

the  minds  of  them  which  behove  not,  lest  the  hght  of  the 
glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should 
shine  unto  them."  He  is  also  called  by  our  Saviour  "the 
prince  of  this  world."  And  the  apostle,  in  expressing  the 
act  of  excommunication,  calls  it  "a  delivering  unto  Satan" 
(1  Cor,  V.  5),  because  an  excommunicated  person  is  expelled 
from  the  visible  fold  of  Christ  and  thrown  back  into  the 
world,  which  is  under  the  dominion  of  Satan.  It  is  not 
strange,  therefore,  that  the  devil  shoiild  be  represented  as 
the  father  of  the  ungodly,  since  he  is  the  object  of  their  wor- 
ship and,  therefore,  of  their  imitation,  and  since  he  uses 
them  as  his  instruments  and  tools  in  accomplishing  the  pur- 
poses of  his  insatiable  malice  towards  God,  holiness  and 
truth.  It  is  an  awful  and  gloomy  reflection,  that  while  God 
is  the  absolute  ruler  of  the  universe,  the  source  of  life  to  every 
creature  in  heaven^  earth  and  hell;  while  he  exercises  a  sov- 
erei^jn  control  over  the  destinies  of  all,  and  makes  all  princi- 
palities and  powers  tremble  at  his  word,  he  should  abandon 
a  large  portion  of  his  creatures  to  the  dominion  of  a  fellow- 
creature,  who  is  distinguished  from  all  others  by  his  pre- 
eminent guilt  and  his  unutterable  vileness ;  that  the  thoughts, 
words  and  actions  of  the  vast  majority  of  men  are  imder  the 
control  and  direction  of  the  very  impersonation  of  all  that  is 
horrible  in  depravity  and  gloomy  in  misery  and  despair.  It 
should  humble  us  below  the  dust  when  we  reflect  that  in  our 
natural  condition  our  understandings,  formed  to  hold  com- 
munion with  the  Father  of  lights,  to  be  fed,  strengthened  and 
charmed  with  truth,  should  be  in  the  hands  of  the  father  of 
lies  and  the  prince  of  darkness  ;  that  our  hearts  formed  to 
hold  communion  with  the  God  of  love,  and  to  reflect  the 
glorious  image  of  his  holiness,  should  be  in  the  hands  of  one 
whose  very  name  is  hatred,  who  is  the  adversary  of  all  that 
is  imposing  in  majesty  or  lovely  in  goodness;  that  our  wills, 
created  in  harmony  with  the  will  of  him  who  is  unsearchable 
in  wisdom  and  unchangeable  in  rectitude,  should  be  directed 


Otiieii  Sermons  and  Briefs.  321 

by  one  whose  reigning  impulse  is  rebellion — in  a  word,  that 
capacities  and  powers,  destined  to  an  almost  boundless  ex- 
pansion, and  fitted  by  their  original  constitution  to  expatiate 
in  a  field  so  noble  and  august  as  the  immensity  of  the  divine 
nature,  should  be  doomed  to  unfold  themselves  upon  a  thea- 
tre so  dark,  so  polluted,  so  terrible  as  hell.  And  yet  this  is 
the  condition,  and  this  the  doom  of  the  sinner.  He  is  the 
child  of  the  devil  and  is  destined  to  share  his  inheritance. 

It  is  sufficiently  obvious  from  the  remarks  that  have  been 
made,  that  unbelievers  are  called  the  children  of  the  devil 
because  they  bear  his  image  and  do  his  deeds,  being  under 
his  absolute  control.  I  shall,  therefore,  proceed  to  the  second 
head,  which  was  to  point  out  some  of  those  particulars  which 
illustrate  this  truth ;  to  mention  some  of  those  circumstances 
which  go  to  show  that  men  are,  in  the  sense  explained,  the 
children  of  the  devil. 

II.  And  in  the  first  place,  I  remark  that  meli  resemble  the 
devil  in  the  fact  that  they  are  si7iners.  I  do  not  speak  now 
of  particular  sins,  in  which  there  is  a  stronger  resemblance 
to  the  character  of  Satan  than  in  some  others ;  some  of  these 
I  shall  mention  afterwards ;  but  I  speak  of  sin  in  general,  of 
a  principle  of  sin,  without  reference  to  its  particular  mani- 
festations. "He  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil,"  says 
the  apostle,  "for  the  devil  sinneth  from  the  beginning." 
That  apostate  spirit  was  the  first  to  cast  off  his  allegiance  to 
God,  and  to  lift  the  hand  of  rebellion  against  the  throne  of 
the  eternal ;  and  all  who  possess  the  same  spirit  of  opposi- 
tion to  hohness  are  his  children.  They  give  the  seal  of 
approbation  to  that  act  of  his  which  clothed  the  heavens  in 
black,  and  spread  consternation  and  dismay  through  the 
moral  government  of  God ;  they  sanction  the  commission  of 
an  evil  whose  aim  and  tendency  is  to  dethrone  the  Kuler  of 
the  universe,  to  abrogate  his  law,  and  to  blot  out  even  his  ex- 
istence. "  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  .  .  no  God  "  (Psa. 
xiv.  1),  says  the  psalmist.  The  reigning  desire  of  the  sinner 
21 


322  Miscellanies. 

(who  is  the  fool  of  Scripture)  is,  O  that  there  were  no  God  ? 
His  foul  malignity  of  heart  would  blot  out  from  existence 
not  the  source  of  all  light  and  love  merely,  but  the  source  of 
all  being,  and  in  him  would  blast  himself  and  the  universe 
with  the  dismal  curse  of  annihilation.  Sin  in  its  very  nature, 
the  least  sin,  every  sin,  aims  at  nothing  less  than  the  abso- 
lute destruction  of  the  fountain  and  original  of  all  being, 
and  would  convert  the  whole  creation  into  an  awful  blank. 
It  is  an  evidence  of  the  tremendous  desolation  which  sin  has 
occasioned  in  the  understandings,  the  hearts,  and  the  con- 
sciences of  men,  that  they  are  so  utterly  insensible  to  its 
infinite  enormity  of  evil ;  that  they  are  disposed  in  their  folly 
and  madness  to  "make  a  mock"  of  that  the  bitterness  and 
malignity  of  which  it  would  beggar  the  tongue  of  man  or 
angel  to  describe.  But  is  that  a  small  evil,  brethren,  which 
would  dethrone  our  Maker,  blot  out  the  existence  of  the 
Father  of  our  spirits,  and  cover  the  universe  with  the  pall  of 
death?  which  "converted  an  angel  into  a  devil,  and  educed 
from  a  benign  and  beautiful  heaven  a  horrid  and  merciless 
hell"?^  Is  that  a  small  evil  which  brought  vanity  and  vexa- 
tion of  spirit  upon  all  the  creatures  of  God,  and  blasted  the 
whole  frame  of  nature  with  a  curse  from  which  it  is  continu- 
ally groaning  to  be  delivered?  What  is  it  which  has  covered 
the  earth  with  thorns  and  briers,  and  causes  it  not  unfre- 
quently  to  groan  and  toss  as  if  convulsed  with  the  pains  of 
dissolution  ?  What  is  it  which  has  converted  the  genial  rays 
of  the  sun,  intended  originally  for  our  good,  into  so  many 
shining  shafts  spreading  famine,  pestilence,  and  death?  It 
is  sin,  that  foul  and  enormous  monster,  the  offspring  of  the 
devil.  Do  we  want  evidence  of  its  malignity?  See  it  con- 
verting the  refreshing  showers  of  heaven  into  storms  of  fire 
and  brimstone  upon  the  cities  of  the  plain ;  contemplate  its 
malignity  in  the   deluge;  contemplate  its  malignity  in  the 

'  Bishop  Reynolds'  Sinfulness  of  Sin.     I  have  quoted  fragments  of  the 
last  passage.     (See  Vol.  I.,  pp.  289,  290.) 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  323 

final  conflagration,  when  "the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with 
a  great  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat, 
the  earth  also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein,  shall  be  burned 
up."  See  it  in  the  "blackness  of  darkness,"  which  is  re- 
served for  those  who  die  under  its  dominion,  and  hear  it  in 
their  "weeping  and  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth";  and, 
above  all,  behold  it  in  the  astounding  scenes  of  Calvary,  in 
the  vinegar  and  the  gall,  and  in  the  agonizing  cry  which 
startled  the  sun  in  its  course  and  made  him  retire  in  dismay. 
If  you  are  not  yet  convinced,  let  us  attend  to  the  descriptions  of 
sin  which  are  given  us  in  the  Scriptures,  and  see  what  is  the 
judgment  concerning  it  of  him  whose  judgment  is  always 
"according  to  truth."  I  will  quote  some  of  the  passages  as 
they  have  been  collected  by  a  master-hand,^  together  with, 
the  running  commentary  he  has  made  upon  them,  and,  I  will 
venture  to  say  that,  appalling,  disgusting  as  the  descriptions 
are,  there  is  no  man  whose  eyes  have  been  opened  to  see 
the  plague  of  his  own  heart  who  will  not  acknowledge  that 
they  are  accurate  and  just;  who  will  not  feel,  indeed,  that 
they  are  too  much  "to  the  life"  to  have  proceeded  from  any 
other  mind  than  the  mind  of  him  who  "searcheth  the  heart 
and  trieth  the  reins."  "It  is  compared  to  the  rottenness  of 
a  man  in  his  grave ;  '  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness '  even 
as  a  dead  man  in  the  slime  and  rottenness  of  his  grave ;  to 
that  noisome  steam  and  exhalation  which  breathes  from  the 
mouth  of  an  open  sepulchre;  'their  throat  is  an  open 
sepulchre,'  that  is,  out  of  their  throat  proceeds  nothing  but 
'rotten  communication,'  as  the  apostle  calls  it;  to  the  nature 
of  vipers,  swine,  and  dogs ;  to  the  poison,  sting,  vomit  of  these 
filthy  creatures ;  to  a  root  of  bitterness,  which  defileth  many ; 
to  thorns  and  briers,  which  bring  forth  no  other  fruit  but 
curses ;  to  the  dross  of  metals ;  to  the  scum  of  a  boiling  pot ; 
to  the  v/orst  of  all  diseases,  sores,  rottenness,  gangrenes,  or 
leprosies,  plague,  and  pestilence  ;  and  which  is  the  sum  of 

'  Bishop  Reynolds. 


324  Miscellanies. 

all  uncleanness,  sin  iu  the  heart  is  compared  to  the  '  fire  of 
hell,'  so  that  the  pure  eyes  of  God  do  loathe  to  see  and  his  nos- 
trils to  smell  it."  It  makes  all  those  that  have  eyes  opened, 
and  Judgments  rectified,  to  abhor  it  in  others.  "The  wicked 
is  an  abomination  to  the  righteous."  When  desperate 
wretches  pour  out  their  oaths  and  execration  against  heaven, 
scorn  and  persecute  the  word  of  grace,  count  it  baseness  and 
cowardice  not  to  dare  to  be  desperately  wicked,  then  every 
true  heart  mourns  for  their  pride,  compassionates  their 
misery,  defies  their  solicitations,  declines  their  companies 
and  courses,  even  as  most  infectious,  serpentine,  and  hellish 
exhalations,  which  poison  the  air,  and  putrefy  the  earth  upon 
which  they  tread.  And  when  God  gives  a  man  eyes  to  look 
inward,  arouseth  the  conscience,  unbowelleth  the  heart,  stir- 
reth  up  by  his  word  the  sink  which  is  in  every  man's  bosom, 
every  man  is  constrained  to  abhor  himself,  and  to  be  loath- 
some in  his  own  sight.  This  is  the  description  which  has 
been  given  us  out  of  the  Scriptures  of  the  vileness  and  filthi- 
ness  of  sin,  and  this  is  what  they  mean  when  they  say  that 
*' whosoever  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil."  This  is  the 
native  dignity  of  human  nature  according  to  the  word  of 
Ood,  and  is  something  very  different  from  that  which  the 
spurious  eloquence  of  the  world  is  employed  to  defend  and 
to  adorn. 

Second,  But  not  only  are  men  called  the  children  of  the 
devil  because  they  live  in  the  commission  of  sin  in  general, 
but  this  designation  is  applied  to  them  in  reference  to  some 
particular  sins  in  which  they  resemble  him  more  than  in 
others.  Two  of  these  are  mentioned  by  our  Saviour  in  the 
context:  "Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of 
your  father  ye  will  do.  He  was  a  murderer  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  abode  not  in  the  truth,  because  there  is  no  truth  in 
him.  When  he  speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own,  for 
he  is  a  liar  and  the  father  of  it.  And  because  I  tell  you  the 
truth,  ye  believe  me  not."     Satan  is  here  represented  as  a 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  325 

liar  and  a  nnirderer,  and  men  as  being  his  children  hj  re- 
sembling him  in  these  particulars,  by  distinguishing  them- 
selves for  hostility  to  truth  and  for  hatred  to  its  professors. 

The  hostility  to  truth,  which  is  natural  to  all  men,  is  a 
mournful  evidence  that  the  soul,  which  was  created  to  be 
the  temple  of  God  and  the  residence  of  his  glory,  is  now  in 
ruins.  The  fire  is  not  only  extinguished  upon  the  altar;  the 
shekinah  has  not  only  been  withdrawn  and  darkness  been 
suffered  to  usurp  an  universal  dominion,  but  that  very  dark- 
ness is  filled  with  the  damp  of  death,  a  pestilential  vapor, 
which  opposes  and  resists  the  entrance  and  existence  of  the 
light.  That  darkness  is  not  a  mere  negation  of  light ;  it  con- 
tains a  positive  principle  of  opposition  to  the  light.  This 
deplorable  condition  of  the  soul  is  frequently  alluded  to  in 
the  Scriptures.  "The  wicked,"  says  the  psalmist,  "are 
estranged  from  the  womb :  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be 
born,  speaking  lies.  Their  poison  is  like  the  jDoison  of  a  ser- 
pent :  they  are  like  the  deaf  adder  that  stoppeth  her  ear,  which 
will  not  hearken  to  the  voice  of  charmers,  charming  never  so 
wisely."  The  wicked  are  here  represented  as  characterized 
from  the  very  womb  by  a  love  of  falsehood,  as  infected  with 
the  "poison  of  the  serpent,"  with  that  hatred  of  truth  which 
belongs,  by  way  of  eminence,  to  the  "old  serpent,"  the  devil, 
who  was  a  liar  from  the  beginning,  and,  in  consequence  of 
this  condition  of  the  heart,  as  wilfully  shutting  up  their  ears 
against  the  voice  of  God  speaking  in  his  word.  "  This  is  the 
condemnation,"  says  the  Saviour,  "that  light  is  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light ;  because 
their  deeds  were  evil.  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth 
the  light ;  neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should 
be  reproved."  These  words  afford  a  striking  illustration  of 
the  desperate  antipathy  of  the  human  heart  to  the  truth  of 
God,  and  also  reveal  the  foundation  of  that  antipathy.  When 
the  Son  of  God,  the  Light  of  light,  the  brightness  of  the 
Father's  glory  and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  came 


326  Miscellanies. 

into  the  world,  the  world  received  him  not.  The  Sun  of 
Righteousness  arose  upon  the  earth  in  all  his  glory,  but  how 
few,  like  the  eagle,  loved  to  gaze  upon  his  brightness,  or  de- 
sired to  soar  into  a  nearer  enjoyment  of  his  refreshing  and 
animating  beams!  The  vast  majority  of  men,  like  owls  and 
bats,  turned  away  and  fled  from  his  rising  splendor.  And 
the  foundation  of  this  antipathy  to  the  light  was  the  fact 
that  their  deeds  were  deeds  of  darkness ;  "  for  every  one  that 
doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest 
his  deeds  should  be  reproved."  Every  man  comes  into  the 
world  bearing  the  image  of  the  devil,  filled  with  malignity 
against  God,  and  consumed  with  intensest  selfishness.  He 
makes  his  own  glory  his  end,  and  his  own  will  his  law.  It  is 
perfectly  natural  for  him,  therefore,  to  hate  the  light,  which 
reveals  the  character  of  God  and  his  prerogatives  as  ruler  of 
the  universe.  The  sinner  then  perceives  that  he  is  the  sub- 
ject of  a  moral  government  whose  law  is  pure  and  unchange- 
able, and  whose  penalty  it  is  impossible  to  evade.  He  per- 
ceives that  to  live  for  himself,  to  make  his  own  glory  his  end, 
and  his  own  will  his  law,  is  just  to  live  for  hell,  to  treasure 
up  "wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God."  That  blessed  truth  of  God's 
absolute  sovereignty,  as  it  is  that  to  which  sin  is,  in  its  very 
essence,  opposed,  so  it  is  that  which  causes  the  sinner  the 
greatest  uneasiness  and  pain.  Enclosed  and  confined  with 
the  conviction  of  this  truth,  he  raves  and  tosses  and  roars 
like  "  a  wild  bull  in  a  net."  The  thought  that  he  is  wholly 
in  the  hands  of  that  God  before  whose  face  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  fiee  away,  whose  word  makes  the  very  pillars  of 
the  universe  to  tremble,  crushes  him  to  the  earth  with  ap- 
prehension and  dismay;  but  the  thought  of  being  absolutely 
dependent  upon  that  God  for  deliverance  from  the  pains  of 
hell;  the  thought  that  he  can  do  absolutely  nothing,  and 
that  if  he  is  saved  at  all  it  must  be  by  the  mere  sovereign 
pleasure  of  him  "who  will   have  mercy  on  whom    he   will 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  327 

have  mercy,"  this  is  a  thought  far  more  agonizing  still ;  and 
it  is  mere  mercy  if  the  pride  and  obstinate  rebellion  of  his 
heart  do  not  lead  him  to  prefer  damnation  rather  than  salva- 
tion by  sovereign  grace ;  it  is  of  mere  mercy  if  that  madness 
with  which  he  gnashes  his  teeth  upon  this  solemn  truth  be 
not  converted  into  the  madness  of  despair.  The  sense  of 
God's  absolute  supremacy,  and  consequently  of  the  impossi- 
bility of  any  creature's  making  his  own  will  his  law  with  im- 
punity, is  that  which  the  sinner,  engaged  in  his  deeds  of 
darkness,  is  unable  to  endure,  and  he  therefore  "hates  the 
light,  and  will  not  come  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be 
reproved."  The  grand  reason  that  men  hate  the  truth  is, 
that  they  are  sinners. 

It  is  also  suggested  in  the  text  that  this  native  hostility  to 
the  truth  in  the  human  heart  is  coupled  with  and  manifested 
by  hostility  to  its  professors.  The  devil  is  called  "a  liar  and 
the  father  of  it,"  and  is  said  to  have  been  a  "murderer  from 
the  beginning."  He  beguiled  Eve  through  his  subtlety,  and 
in  the  success  of  that  original  lie  murdered  the  whole  human 
race ;  and  men  from  that  period  to  this  have,  in  these  par- 
ticulars, followed  his  steps.  The  first  death  in  this  world 
was  the  death  of  a  martyr.  Abel  held  the  truth ;  he  wor- 
shipped God  according  to  the  ordinances  he  had  appointed, 
and  consequently  enjoyed  his  favor.  Cain,  on  the  other 
hand,  invented  a  system  of  religion  for  himself,  under  the 
influence  of  the  father  of  lies;  he  trampled  upon  the  atone- 
ment and  came  to  God  with  the  offering  of  the  Pharisee, 
"God,  I  thank  thee."  We  are  told  that  they  were  talking 
together  in  the  field,  when  Cain  rose  up  and  slew  him.  This 
is  probably  intended  to  teach  us  that  Abel  perished  in  the 
very  act  of  giving  his  testimony  to  the  truth  and  of  rebuking 
his  brother  for  his  shameless  apostasy.  The  whole  history 
of  the  children  of  God,  from  that  period  to  this,  has  been 
marked  with  shame,  with  chains  and  with  blood.  The  apos- 
tle   gives    us   in    the    eleventh    chapter    of   the    Hebrews   a 


328  Miscellanies. 

compendious  history  of  the  church,  of  that  body  of  witnesses 
to  the  truth  who  "  through  faith  and  patience  have  inherited 
the  promises."  Some  "were  tortured,  not  accepting  dehver- 
ance,  that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrection;  and 
others  had  trial  of  cruel  mockiugs  and  scourgings,  yea,  more- 
over, of  bonds  and  imprisonment;  they  were  stoned,  they 
were  sawn  asunder,  were  tempted,  were  slain  with  the  sword ; 
they  wandered  about  in  sheep-skins  and  goat-skins,  being 
destitute,  afflicted,  tormented  (of  whom  the  world  was  not 
worthy) ;  they  wandered  in  deserts  and  in  mountains,  and  in 
dens  and  caves  of  the  earth."  These  were  all  champions  of 
the  truth,  and  for  this  reason  they  were  exposed  to  the  unre- 
lenting hostility  of  a  world  lying  under  the  dominion  of  the 
father  of  lies.  If  we  read  the  history  of  believers  in  subse- 
quent periods,  we  shall  find  it  distinguished  by  the  same 
features.  We  shall  find  the  "  har-murderer"  watching  them 
with  the  same  ceaseless  vigilance,  and  hunting  them  down 
with  the  same  blood-thirsty  activity  and  zeal.  The  very 
hand  which  traced  the  melancholy  description  of  Christ's 
suffering  body  which  I  have  quoted  was  not  many  years 
after  laid  motionless  in  death  by  the  command  of  one  of  the 
most  merciless  tyrants  whom  God  ever  sent  to  scourge  the 
inhabitants  of  the  earth.  Paul  fell  a  victim  to  the  malice  of 
Nero.  That  voice  which  had  so  long  proclaimed  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ  to  the  Gentiles,  which  had  aroused 
a  slumbering  world  from  its  stupidity,  and  by  its  powerful 
reasonings  of  righteousness,  temperance  and  judgment  to 
come  had  made  monarchs  tremble  on  their  thrones,  was  for- 
ever hushed  by  the  mandate  of  one  whose  malice  was  as 
insatiable  as  the  grave.  We  shall  find  the  history  of  the 
Roman  church,  that  stupendous  synagogue  of  Satan  which 
rose  upon  the  ruins  of  the  Roman  empire,  marked  by  the 
same  scenes  of  blood  and  carnage.  How  many  souls  of  those 
who  sealed  their  testimony  with  their  blood  are  now  crying 
to  God  from  under  the  altar,  "How  long,  O  Lord,  holy  and 


Othee  Sermons  and  Briefs.  329 

true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth!"  But  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord 
is  the  death  of  his  saints.  The  day  will  come  when  God 
shall  clothe  himself  in  the  garments  of  his  vengeance  and  go 
forth  to  extirpate  the  monster  from  the  earth;  when  the 
seventh  angel  shall  pour  out  his  vial  into  the  air,  and  a  voice 
shall  come  out  of  the  temple  of  heaven  from  the  throne,  say- 
ing, "  It  is  done,"  and  great  Babylon  shall  come  in  remem- 
brance before  God  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine  of 
the  fierceness  of  his  wrath.  The  day  will  come  when  the 
smoke  of  her  torment  shall  ascend  for  ever  and  ever,  and  that 
mighty  shout  shall  ring  through  earth  and  hell,  "Babylon 
the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen.  Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven, 
and  ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets  ;  for  God  has  avenged 
you  on  her." 

The  history  of  that  dreadful  apostasy  is  sufiicient  to  illus- 
trate the  intimate  connection  which,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, subsists  between  a  love  of  falsehood  and  a  love  of 
murder.  The  Church  of  Eome  has  done  all  in  its  power  to 
extinguish  the  light  of  truth.  It  has  endeavored  to  destroy 
the  foundation  of  all  confidence  in  testimony,  and,  indeed, 
in  evidence  of  any  kind,  by  setting  the  human  faculties  at 
war  among  themselves,  and  has  adopted  and  proclaimed 
principles  which  render  it  utterly  impossible  to  establish  the 
inspiration  of  the  Scriptures;  and,  in  connection  with  this 
fact,  we  know  that  she  has  made  herself  drunk  with  the  blood 
of  the  saints.  No  one  will  deny  that  she  answers  to  the  de- 
scription which  the  word  of  God  gives  us  of  the  children  of 
the  devil.  Satan  was  a  liar  and  a  murderer  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  Rome  has  been  a  liar  and  a  murderer  from  the  be- 
ginning. But  Rome  is  only  fallen  human  nature  fully  de- 
veloped. 

We  need  not  go,  however,  to  the  annals  of  open  persecu- 
tions of  the  general  doctrines  of  that  text.  We  are  ready  to 
say  that  our  Saviour's  language  does  not  apply,  in  these  par- 


330  Miscellanies. 

ticulars,  to  meu  in  our  own  country.  The  strong  arm  of  secu- 
lar power  is  not  stretched  out  to  interfere  with  liberty  of 
conscience.  The  terrible  scenes  enacted  in  the  dungeons  of 
the  inquisition,  on  the  plains  of  France,  and  in  the  glens  and 
mountains  of  Scotland  are  never  witnessed  here.  No  malevo- 
lent genius  like  Bonner  or  Claverhouse  darkens  the  land  with 
his  power,  and  no  Smithfield  illumines  it  with  its  fires.  But 
there  is  even  here  in  this  country,  which  has  been  consecrated 
by  the  suffrages  of  the  world  to  be  the  chosen  abode  of  lib- 
erty, where  every  man  is  allowed  to  worship  God  under  his 
own  vine  and  fig-tree,  with  none  to  molest  or  to  make  him 
afraid^ — there  is  even  here  the  same  hatred  of  truth  and  of 
the  witnesses  of  truth,  though,  in  the  infinite  goodness  of 
God,  who  holds  the  hearts  of  all  men  in  his  hands,,  and  who 
"turneth  them  whithersoever  he  will,"  it  is  not  exhibited  in 
the  same  form.  One  form  in  which  the  enmity  of  the  world 
to  the  church  is  exhibited  is  contempt.  The  great  exemplar 
and  embodiment  of  truth,  when  he  was  upon  earth,  "en- 
dured the  cross  and  despised  the  shame."  A  spirit  like  his, 
of  the  most  exquisite  sensibility,  must  have  suffered  most 
keenly  and  intensely  under  the  reproaches  which  were  heaped 
upon  him  by  an  ungodly  world.  The  hunger  and  thirst,  the 
innumerable  pains  of  body,  which  he  endured,  were  nothing 
in  the  comparison;  and  in  his  steps  all  his  followers  must 
tread.  All  who  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  must  suffer 
this  persecution.  Hence  it  is  that  our  Saviour  has  left  us  so 
many  promises  and  so  many  threatenings  to  warn  us  against 
yielding  to  it  and  to  support  us  in  enduring  it.  Christians 
are  regarded  as  an  ignorant  and  deluded  people,  the  melan- 
choly victims  of  a  morbid  enthusiasm ;  and  this  feeling  of 
contempt,  which  unbelievers  almost  viniversally  entertain  for 
Christians  as  stick,  is  not  very  far  removed  in  guilt  from  mur- 
der ;  for  he  who  would  wilfully  blast  a  man's  reputation,  and 
reduce  him  to  a  condition  of  shame,  would  take  away  his 
life.     The  enmity  to  the  church  is  further  displayed  in  the 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  331 

greediness  with  which  the  world  receives  reports  of  the 
sins  and  orievous  falls  of  those  who  profess  to  be  the  follow- 
ers of  God.  Some  regard  such  falls  as  simply  .evidence  that 
all  religion  is  a  delusion ;  and,  while  they  enjoy  the  distress 
of  those  who  honor  the  name  of  God  and  tremble  at  his  word, 
they  are  glad  to  have  an  additional  argument  to  persuade 
themselves  that  hell  is  but  the  creature  of  a  morbid  fancy, 
and  that  the  monitions  of  conscience  are  only  the  suggestions 
of  a  long-established  prejudice.  They  congratulate  them- 
selves on  the  possession  of  an  additional  bulwark  by  which 
they  may  be  fortified  against  those  troublesome  anticipations 
of  an  approaching  retribution  which  operate  as  a  curb  upon 
their  lusts.  There  are  others  who,  from  the  force  of  educa- 
tion and  other  circumstances,  are  unable  to  divest  themselves 
of  the  conviction  that  there  is  truth  in  the  religion  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  yet  they  experience  in  the  fall  of  believers  a 
feeling  of  secret  satisfaction.  This,  brethren,  is,  indeed,  like 
hell.  "The  devils  believe,  and  tremble;"  they  know  that 
there  is  a  reality  in  the  fehcities  of  heaven ,  they  know  that 
there  is  a  terrible  reality  in  that  "worm  that  never  dies,"  and 
in  that  "fire  which  ^hall  never  be  quenched";  and  they  re- 
joice when  the  name  of  God  is  blasphemed  by  the  apostasy 
of  his  followers,  when  one  who  they  thought  would  be  ad- 
mitted into  the  abodes  of  blessedness  appears  a  candidate 
for  their  own  gloomy  habitations.  But  such  fiendish  joy  is 
not  confined  to  themselves;  it  is  diffused  through  a  multi- 
tude upon  earth.  There  are  human  beings  upon  earth  who 
can  rejoice  in  the  delinquencies  of  the  saints ;  who  can  exult 
in  the  probability  that  those  who  have  professed  to  be  the 
children  of  God  and  the  heirs  of  glory  may,  after  all,  be,  like 
themselves,  children  of  the  devil  and  heirs  of  hell.  Let  no 
one  who  cherishes  such  feelings  imagine  that  he  is  any  bet- 
ter than  those  who  have  pursued  the  saints  with  fire  and 
sword.  They  rejoiced  only  in  the  destruction  of  the  hxhj, 
but  he  rejoices  in  the  death  of  the  soul.     They  killed  the 


332  Miscellanies. 

body,  as  they  pretended,  to  save  the  soid ;  but  lie  rejoices 
tbat,  while  the  body  is  saved,  the  soul  must  die.  Is  there  no 
such  man?  Is  there  no  one  who  has  laughed  in  his  sleeve 
when  the  glorious  and  fearful  name  of  the  Lord  our  God  has 
been  blasphemed  by  those  who  were  devoted  to  his  glory? 
Is  there  no  one  who,  when  he  heard  of  the  signal  fall  of  a 
servant  of  Christ,  has  hugged  himself  in  the  soul-destroying 
delusion  that  all  religion  is  hypocrisy,  or  congratulated  him- 
self that  those  who  professed  to  be  born  of  God  are  no  better 
than  himself?  If  there  is  such  a  man,  his  condition  is  awful 
beyond  the  power  of  language  to  describe.  These  feelings 
are  to  him  "the  evident  tokens  of  perdition."  He  posse&ses 
a  heart  maturely  prepared  for  communion  with  those  lost 
spirits  who  are  "reserved  in  chains  of  darkness  to  the  judg- 
ment of  the  last  day." 

I  have  endeavored  to  illustrate  the  solemn  declaration  of 
our  Saviour  in  the  text,  by  showing  that  men,  in  their  natu- 
ral condition,  resemble  the  devil,  and  do  his  works  in  the 
commission  of  that  abominable  thing  which  God  hates,  and 
especially  in  their  opposition  and  hatred  to  divine  truth,  and 
to  those  who  are  witnesses  for  that  truth  by  their  lips  and 
by  their  lives.  And,  now,  I  charge  you,  brethren,  before  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  uttered  these  words,  and  who  will 
one  day  judge  the  living  and  the  dead,  to  ask,  yourselves 
seriously  whether  you  are  free  from  these  characteristics  of 
the  children  of  the  devil.  Are  you  not  conscious  that  you 
are  sinners  ?  Are  your  wills  in  entire  accordance  with  the 
will  of  God,  or  is  it  your  constant  and  earnest  desire  that  they 
may  be  ?  Do  you  not,  on  the  contrary,  make  your  own  wills 
your  law?  Can  you  "give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of 
God's  holiness"  and  rejoice  that  the  destinies  of  the  universe 
are  controlled  by  a  moral  governor,  whose  glorious  perfec- 
tions are  all  pledged  to  maintain  inflexibly  and  everlastingly 
the  interests  of  righteousness,  holiness,  and  truth?  Or 
does  the  desire  sometimes  arise  in  your  hearts,  and  almost 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  333 

escape  your  lips,  "  Oh,  that  there  were  no  God ;  oh,  that  there 
were  no  hell"?  Are  you  conscious  of  an  ardent  love  of 
truth?  Do  not  your  hearts  rise  in  rebellion  when  the  doc- 
trine of  God's  absolute  and  unchangeable  sovereignty  is  pro- 
claimed in  your  hearing,  and  enforced  upon  your  consciences  ? 
Do  you  love  his  children  and  look  upon  them  as  the  excellent 
of  the  earth,  or  do  you  regard  them  as  a  weak,  deluded,  fanat- 
ical class,  with  which  you  would  rather  dig  or  beg  than  be 
associated?  Do  you  glory  in  Christ,  or  are  you  ashamed  of 
him  ?  XTpon  your  answers  to  these  questions  depends  your 
true  character,  your  condition,  your  unchanging  destiny. 
There  are  many  other  features  of  the  character  of  Satan 
which  I  have  not  particularly  mentioned,  by  any  of  which 
you  may  try  yourselves.  There  is,  for  example,  the  spirit  of 
ambition.  And  here  you  are  in  imminent  danger  of  impos- 
ing upon  yourselves  by  the  fallacy  of  words.  You  may  per- 
suade yourselves  that  a  true  and  honorable  ambition  is 
nothing  more  than  a  desire  of  excellence  in  that  department 
of  exertion  to  which  you  have  consecrated  yourselves,  and 
that  there  can  certainly  be  nothing  wrong  in  this.  But  you 
may  easily  ascertain  whether  it  is  that  love  of  excellence  that 
God  will  approve.  Do  you  pursue  it  because  it  is  the  image  of 
God,  the  source  of  all  that  is  imposing  in  good,  or  attractive  in 
beauty,  and  because  the  pursuit  brings  you  nearer  and  nearer 
to  him  ?  Do  you  aim  at  excellence  in  knowledge  and  charac- 
ter, in  order  that  you  may  be  more  and  more  transformed 
into  the  image  of  Christ,  and  that  your  capacity  of  promot- 
ing his  glory  may  be  increased  ?  Do  you  waste  your  strength 
in  nightly  vigils  in  order  that  you  may  enjoy  the  approbation 
of  God,  or  in  order  that  you  may  secure  the  applause  of  men  ? 
In  short,  is  the  glory  of  God,  or  your  own  glory,  the  moving 
principle  of  your  life?  This  settles  the  matter;  and  be  as- 
sured, if  your  own  glory  and  advantage  are  the  moving  prin- 
ciples of  your  lives,  you  possess  that  spirit  which  hurled  from 
heaven  "the  dragon  and  his  angels. "     Ambition  is  not  "the 


334  Miscellanies. 

infirmity  of  a  nohle  mind."  It  is  the  reigning  sin  of  hell,  and 
to  that  dismal  region  must  all  go  who  are  subject  to  its  do- 
minion. The  voice  of  the  people  is  not  always  the  voice  of 
God.  Many  have  gone  down  to  the  grave  with  the  praises 
of  the  multitude  ringing  in  their  ears,  and  the  withering  curse 
of  God  upon  their  heads.  "  Upon  a  set  day,"  says  the  sacred 
historian,  "Herod,  arrayed  in  royal  apparel,  sat  upon  his 
throne,  and  made  an  oration  unto  them.  And  the  people  gave 
a  shout,  saying,  It  is  the  voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a  man. 
And  immediately  the  angel  of  the  Lord  smote  him,  because 
he  gave  not  God  the  glory ;  and  he  was  eaten  of  worms,  and 
gave  up  the  ghost."  This  is  the  reward  of  ambition,  and 
such  will  be  the  doom,  sooner  or  later,  of  every  man  who 
does  not  live  for  the  glory  of  God.  There  is  another  vile 
passion  connected  with  this  in  which  the  image  of  the  devil  is 
conspicuously  displayed,  and  that  is  envy.  And  both  of  these 
are  intimately  associated  with  murder.  The  votaries  of  am- 
bition, the  lovers  of  popular  applause,  must,  from  the  nature 
of  the  case,  hate  and  envy  one  another ;  and  murder,  as  we 
have  seen  in  innumerable  instances,  is  the  result.  But  why 
do  I  dwell  on  these  disgusting  particulars  ?  Is  it  possible 
that  you  can,  in  your  present  condition,  hope  for  communion 
with  God  in  heaven  ?  Hope  for  communion  with  love,  while 
envy  of  your  companions  in  study  and  pursuit  gnaws  like  a 
vulture  upon  your  vitals ;  while  malice  is  corroding  your 
heart,  like  a  canker;  while  all  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  the 
lusts  of  the  mind  are  crawling  and  hissing  in  your  hearts  like 
noisome  and  pestiferous  reptiles  ?  Do  you  dream  of  heaven, 
where  all  is  tranquillity  and  grace,  where  no  cloud  of  sinful 
passion  disturbs  the  calm  sunshine  of  love,  while  your  hearts 
are  darkened  by  the  foul  and  loathsome  exhalations  of  the 
bottomless  pit?  Hell  is  the  theatre  for  the  development  of 
such  lusts,  and  hell  will  be  the  final  abode  of  all  who  die 
under  their  dominion.  The  dreadful  sentence  will  one  day  be 
pronounced,  "Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,   into    everlasting 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  335 

fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  And  who  can 
conceive  the  horrors  of  that  prison  of  despair?  In  this  world 
the  hideous  spectacle  of  a  naked  human  heart  is  never  seen. 
And  it  is  of  the  infinite  mercy  of  God  that  an  impenetrable  veil 
does  conceal  us  from  one  another.  What  would  become  of 
the  friendships  of  the  world  if  we  could  see  each  other  as 
God  sees  us  all?  Those  who  now  "take  sweet  counsel  to- 
gether, and  walk  to  the  house  of  God  in  company."  would  shun  _ 
each  other  as  they  would  a  viper ;  for  envy,  malice,  hatred, 
and  contempt  would  be  seen  written  in  blazing  characters  upon 
the  heart.  It  is  a  matter  of  profound  gratitude  to  God  that 
one  diabolical  corruption  is  shrouded  in  a  veil,  which  no  mor- 
tal eye  can  penetrate,  for  the  earth  would  be  one  vast  char- 
nel  house,  pregnant  with  pestilence  and  death.  But  in  hell 
there  will  be  no  concealment ;  there  envy,  hatred,  malice,  and 
murder  will  rage  without  disguise.  And  have  you  made  up 
your  minds  to  take  these  unutterable  horrors  for  your  por- 
tions ?  I  beseech  you,  as  you  love  your  own  souls,  to  come 
to  Christ,  in  whom  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwells. 
It  is  painful  to  dwell  upon  a  subject  like  that  I  have  attempted 
to  set  before  you ;  the  dissection  of  an  apostate  soul  is  far 
more  disagreeable  than  any  operation  of  physical  anatomy. 
But  I  do  it  in  order  that  you  may  flee  to  Jesus,  who  has 
"destroyed  the  works  of  the  devil,"  who  has  opened  a  foun- 
tain in  his  own  precious  blood,  in  which  the  foulest  unclean - 
ness  may  be  washed  away.  In  him  are  all  the  treasures  of 
the  Spirit,  in  him  those  rivers  of  living  water,  which  can 
cleanse  the  Augean  stables  within  us.  "  Believe  on  him,  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved."  Believe  on  him,  and  you  shall  be 
clothed  with  his  righteousness,  and  be  partakers  of  his  holi- 
ness. He  is  "the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world." 

This  subject,  my  Christian  brethren,  is  also  pregnant  with 
interest  to  us;  for,  alas!  the  image  of  the  devil  is  not  alto- 
gether obliterated  from  our  hearts.     It  is  a  matter  of  daily 


336  Miscellanies. 

and  mournful  concern  to  us  that  we  are  so  much  under  the 
influence  of  that  law  of  sin  which  is  in  our  members,  and  we 
desire  continually  to  abhor  ourselves  and  to  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes  before  God.  But  let  us  beware  of  that  sin  which, 
above  all  others,  God  hates,  and  which  called  forth  the 
strongest  denunciations  of  our  Savioiir  during  his  ministry 
Upon  the  earth,  the  sin  of  hypocrisy.  If  we  are  hypocrites, 
we  are  preeminently  the  children  of  the  devil,  who  was  a  liar 
from  the  beginning,  for  our  life  is  one  continual  lie.  "  Search  us, 
O  God,  and  know  our  hearts ;  try  us  and  know  our  thoughts, 
and  see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  us,  and  lead  us  in  the 
way  everlasting."  Let  us  remember  that  all  disguises,  how- 
ever well  they  may  be  painted,  will  fail  us  in  the  last  day 
when  we  shall  stand  before  him  whose  eyes  are  "a  flame  of 
fire."  We  may  deceive  our  fellowmen,  and  we  may  deceive 
ourselves,  but  the  great  and  mighty  and  terrible  God  we 
cannot  deceive.  Men  may  assume  the  name  of  Christ  in  this 
world,  they  may  whitewash  themselves  so  as  to  appear  fair 
before  men,  but  the  day  will  come  when  their  rottenness  shall 
be  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  an  assembled  universe,  and  they 
will  be  glad  to  sink  into  the  lowest  hell  to  escape  the  power 
of  him  who  is  "  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity."  1 
beseech  you  to  "give  all  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and 
election  sure.  Add  to  your  faith,  virtue;  and  to  virtue, 
knowledge ;  and  to  knowledge,  temperance ;  and  to  temper- 
ance, patience ;  and  to  patience,  godliness ;  and  to  godliness, 
brotherly  kindness ;  and  to  brotherly  kindness,  charity.  For 
if  these  things  be  in  you  and  abound,  they  make  you  that  ye 
shall  neither  be  barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But  he  that  lacketh  these  things  is  blind, 
and  cannot  see  afar  ofi^,  and  hath  forgotten  that  he  was  purged 
from  his  old  sins.  Wherefore  the  rather,  brethren,  give  dili- 
gence to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure ;  for  if  ye  do 
these  things  ye  shall  never  fall ;  for  so  an  entrance  shall  be 
ministered  unto  you  abundantly  into  the  everlasting  kingdom 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 


Otheii  Sermons  and  Briefs.  337 

"If  I  had  not  done  among  them  the  works  which  none  other  man  did, 
they  had  not  had  sin." — John  xv.  34. 

One  of  the  most  formidable  arts  of  controversy  employed, 
by  the  adversaries  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  is  that  of 
representing  reason  and  faith  as  opposed  to  each  other  in 
their  very  nature,  and,  therefore,  that  no  reasonable  man  can 
be  a  believer,  or,  at  least,  that  in  so  far  as  he  is  a  believer  he 
ceases  to  act  upon  principles  of  reason.  This  is  a  favorite 
stratagem  with  the  avowed  enemies  of  revelation.  Hume,  for 
example,  in  his  Essay  on  Miracles,  after  having  stated  (for 
there  is  no  proof,  the  whole  essay  being  a  miserable  begging 
of  the  question)  that  a  miracle  is  antecedently  so  improb- 
able, so  contradictory  to  that  uniform  experience  upon  which 
all  our  confidence  in  testimony  rests,  that  no  amount  of  testi- 
mony is  sufficient  to  justify  us  in  believing  that  such  a  thing 
has  actually  occurred,  concludes  by  saying  that  it  must  be 
received  by  faith ;  which  is  as  much  as  to  say  that  faith  will 
receive  what  sound  reason  must  utterly  repudiate.  The  pre- 
tended friends  of  Christianity  have  been  guilty  of  the  same 
foul  wrong,  and  have  contributed  in  so  doing  to  swell  the 
ranks  of  open  and  bare-faced  infidelity.  The  papists  insist 
upon  an  hnpllcit  faith  in  the  teaching  of  an  infallible  church, 
and  deny  to  men  the  right  of  private  judgment.  Their  im- 
plicit faith  means  a  faith  exercised  without  evidence  or 
reason,  that  is  to  say,  an  unreasonable  faith.  The  right  of 
private  judgment  is  the  right  of  an  individual  personal  in- 
vestigation of  evidence,  the  only  process  by  which  it  is  pos- 
sible to  reach  a  rational  conclusion.  So,  also,  with  the 
revelations  of  Oxford,  and  the  teachings  of  Dr.  Pusey  and 
the  new  maniacs  generally.  They  hold  that  the  doctrines 
of  religion  are  too  sacred  to  be  reasoned  about  until  they  have 
been  received  by  faith;  that  we  are  to  "maintain  before  we 
have  proved  " ;  that  "  we  must  believe  in  order  to  judge  "  ;  that 
"this  seeming  paradox  is  the  secret  of  happiness."  {Tracts 
22 


338  Miscellanies. 

for  the  Times,  No.  85,  No.  63,  pp.  39,  83  ;  see  Edhiburgk  Re- 
viexo,  April,  1843.)  It  is  not  strange  that  Rome  and  Oxford 
should  proclaim  this  open  war  upon  reason,  for  reason  is  at 
open  war  with  them.  Holding  and  teaching  doctrines  which 
no  man  can  ever  receive  until  he  is  prepared  to  trample  upon 
every  source  and  principle  of  evidence,  until  he  is  actually 
involved  in  the  curse  of  idiocy  or  madness,  it  is  natural  for 
them  to  slander  the  image  of  the  Father  of  lights  in  the  in- 
tellectual constitution  of  man.  The  dogmas  of  transubstan- 
tiation  and  the  apostolical  succession,  when  they  stand  before 
the  bar  of  reason,  or  even  that  humble  form  of  it  called  com- 
mon sense,  may  well  tremble  in  prospect  of  the  verdict,  which 
will  be  sure  to  pronounce  them  guilty  of  the  most  stupendous 
absurdity  and  consign  them  to  the  contempt  and  infamy  they 
deserve.  The  defenders  of  these  dogmas  stand  really  upon 
the  platform  of  Hume,  and  are  in  conspiracy  with  him  to 
drive  all  thinking  men  into  the  fathomless  abyss  of  universal 
skepticism.  Upon  their  principles,  sense,  consciousness,  the 
fundamental  laws  of  human  belief,  all  the  witnesses  which 
God  has  given  us  of  the  system  to  which  we  belong  contra- 
dict one  another;  a  vigorous  cross-examination  has  never 
failed  to  reveal  their  want  of  veracity,  and,  therefore,  their 
testimony  cannot  be  relied  on,  and,  therefore  (for  to  this 
tremendous  conclusion  we  come  at  last),  the  author  of  our 
constitution  has  so  framed  it  that  it  must  deceive  us ! 

The  real  friends  of  Christianity  have  unintentionally  used 
language  of  a  [similar  kind,  language  which  seems  to  imply 
some  contrariety  between  reason  and  faith,  or,  at  least,  an 
essential  difference.  This  has  arisen  in  some  degree  from  the 
ambiguity  of  the  term;  reason  sometimes  standing,  not  for 
the  faculty  of  the  soul  by  which  we  apprehend  truth,  but  for 
the  sum  of  a  man's  opinions,  doctrines,  or  prejudices.  Used 
in  this  last  sense,  there  is  undoubtedly  a  contrariety  between 
reason  and  the  object  or  matter  of  our  faith.  But  their  lan- 
guage often  seems  to  imply  more  than  this,  and  to  convey  the 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  339 

impression  that  faith  is  not  only  supernatural  in  its  origin, 
but  that  it  is  widely  different  in  kind  from  the  ordinary  act 
of  reason  or  the  understanding  which  we  call  helief  or  assent ; 
that  it  is  something  more  than  acqviiescence  of  the  mind  in  evi- 
dence perceived.     The  nature  and  offices  of  reason  and  faith 
in  the  business  of  religion  have  been  practically  represented 
in  the  following  passages  with  great  force  and  beauty,  but  in 
such  a  way  as  to  leave  the  impression  upon  the  mind  that 
they  are  different  in  kind.     The  citations  are  made  from  the 
very  able  and  timely  article  in  the  Edinhxivgh  Review  for 
October,  1849,  entitled,  "Reason  and  Faith :  their  Claims  and 
Conflicts."     "Reason  and  faith  resemble  the  two  sons  of  the 
patriarch;    reason   is   the  first-born,  but  faith  inherits  the 
blessing."    This  citation  the  author  makes  from  an  old  divine, 
and  condemns  as  unjust  in  sentiment,  and  then  proceeds: 
"We  should  rather  compare  reason  and  faith  to  the  two  trusty 
spies,    'faithful  among   the   faithless,'  who  confirmed   each 
other's  report  of  that  '  good  land  which  flowed  with  milk  and 
honey,'  and  to  hoth  of  whom  the  promise  of  a  rich  inherit- 
ance there  was  given,  and  in  due  time  amply  redeemed ;  or, 
rather,  if  we  might  be  permitted  to  pursue  the  same  vein  a 
little  further,  and  throw  over  our  shoulders  that  mantle  of 
allegory  which  none  but  Bunyan  could  wear  long  and  suc- 
cessfully, we  should  represent  reason  and  faith  as  twin-born 
beings,  the  one  in  form  and  features  the  image  of  manly 
beauty,  the  other  of  feminine  grace  and  gentleness;  but  to 
each  of  whom,  alas!  was  allotted  a  sad  privation.     While  the 
bright  eyes  of  reason  are  full  of  piercing  and  restless  intelli- 
gence, his  ear  is  closed  to  sound,  and  while  faith  has  an  ear 
of  exquisite  delicacy,  on  her  sightless  orbs,  as  she  lifts  them 
towards  heaven,  the  sunbeam  plays  in  vain.     Hand  in  hand 
the  brother  and  sister  pursue  their  way  through  a  world  on 
which,  like  ours,  day  breaks  and  night  falls  alternately ;  by 
day  the  eyes  of  reason  are  the  guide  of  faith,  and  by  night 
the  ear  of  faith  is  the  guide  of  reason.    As  is  wont  with  those 


340  MlBCELLANIES. 

who  labor  with  these  privations,  respectively,  reason  is  apt 
to  be  eager,  impetuous,  impatient  of  that  instruction  which 
his  infirmity  will  not  permit  him  readily  to  apprehend ;  while 
faith,  gentle  and  docile,  is  ever  willing  to  listen  to  the  voice 
by  which  alone  truth  and  wisdom  can  effectually  reach  her." 
I  have  quoted  this  long  passage  not  merely  or  chiefly  on 
account  of  its  great  beauty,  but  as  an  illustration  of  the  loose 
and  unguarded  language  which  the  friends  of  religion  some- 
times employ.  In  the  first  place,  so  far  as  religion  is  con- 
cerned, the  Scriptures  give  no,  such  view  of  the  respective 
offices  of  reason  and  faith.  No  such  importance  is  attached 
to  reason  as  contra-distinguished  from  y«?M,  for  it  is  written, 
"  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin"  In  the  next  place,  the 
allegory  is  founded  upon  an  arbitrary  distribution  of  the  pro- 
vinces of  the  two.  Reason  having  charge  of  those  truths  and 
propositions  which  are  received  for  reasons  derived  from  the 
intriyisic  evidence — intuitive,  deductive,  or  from  our  own  ex- 
perience— reasons  involved  in  the  proper  meaning  and  signifi- 
cance of  the  propositions;  and  faith,  of  those  propositions  or_ 
truths  which  are  received  for  reasons  extrinsic  to  the  propo- 
sitions themselves.  I  say  this  is  an  arbitrary  distribution. 
Is  it  not  the  same  eye  which  perceives  the  sun  by  or  in  its 
own  light,  and  other  objects  by  the  light  of  the  sun  reflected 
from  them?  It  is  reason  that  acts  in  receiving  truths  upon 
their  own  evidence,  and  it  is  the  same  reason  which  acts  in 
receiving  truths  whose  evidence  is  without  themselves,  that 
is,  the  testimony  of  competent  witnesses.  All  evidence  is 
light,  and  the  eye  of  the  mind  cannot  see  any  object  without 
it.  The  difference  in  the  kind  of  light  is  not  an  adequate 
foundation  for  so  broad  a  distinction  as  is  here  made.  Faith 
is  the  ear  of  reason.  It  is  the  acquiescence  of  reason  in  the 
truth  of  a  proposition  supported  by  testimony.  Reason, 
therefore,  has  ears  as  well  as  eyes;  she  uses  the  one 
sense  in  the  daytime  and  the  other  in  the  night.  When- 
ever she   hears   rightly,  the  sound  is  the  voice  of  man    or 


Other  Sehmons  and  Briefs.  341 

the  voice  of  God.  In  both  cases  her  assent  is  faith,  that 
is,  confidence  in  the  testimony  of  God.  If  we  must  alle- 
gorize, I  think  the  change  I  have  proposed  is  a  decided  im- 
provement to  the  truthfuh\ess,  if  not  to  the  beauty  and 
picturesque  effect,  of  the  representation.  In  this  view  of  the 
case  the  conflicts  between  reason  and  faith  will  be  really  the 
apparent  opposition  between  the  informations  of  the  eye  and 
the  informations  of  the  ear,  a  species  of  discrepancies  of 
which  our  experience  furnishes  daily  examples.  Sometimes 
there  is  a  disordered  condition  of  one  of  the  senses,  and,  then, 
of  course,  the  informations  of  both  cannot  accord.  Some- 
times one  of  the  senses  gives  us  information  of  the  existence 
of  qualities  which  the  other  sense  cannot  possibly  take  cog- 
nizance of.  But  will  a  blind  man  affirm  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  color  because  he  cannot  hecu'  it?  Will  a  deaf  man 
contend  there  is  no  such  thing  as  sound  because  he  cannot 
see  it?  But  such  is  the  folly  of  men  in  reference  to  spiritual 
truth.  The  ear  of  reason  is  the  avenue  of  many  truths  which 
his  eye  cannot  see  ;  the  sound  may  reach  her  when  the  object 
lies  beyond  the  range  of  her  vision,  or  when  some  other 
object  is  interposed  to  obtrude  itself  xxpon  her  attention  and 
conceal  the  one  from  which  the  sound  proceeds.  Then  there 
are  other  objects  which  never  can  be  seen,  from  the  nature 
of  the  case,  and  the  testimony  of  the  ear  must  be  relied  on. 
Men  ask  for  the  evidence  of  intuition,  demonstration,  personal 
experience,  when  neither  the  thing  itself,  nor  their  own 
minds,  nor  the  circumstances  of  their  condition,  will  admit  of 
any  other  evidence  than  that  of  testimony. 


'It  is  finished.'"— John  xix   30. 


These  were   the  last  words  of    the    dying    Saviour;  and 
among  all  the  touching  exclamations  which  burst  from  his 


Preached  June,  29  18r»l. 


342  Miscellanies. 

quiveriug  lips  as  he  hung  upon  the  cross,  they  are  of  the 
deepest  and  widest  significance  in  themselves,  and  of  the 
most  general  importance  to  fallen  men  laboring  under  the 
curse  of  the  law  and  the  iron  bondage  of  sin.  The  first 
words  which  he  uttered  after  the  nails  had  pierced  his  hands 
and  his  feet,  those  hands  which  had  touched  the  eyes  of  the 
blind  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf,  the  couch  of  incurable  dis- 
ease and  the  bier  of  the  dead,  those  feet  which  had  never 
run  to  shed  blood,  but  had  borne  their  Master  from  place  to 
place,  in  weariness  and  painfulness,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  on 
errands  of  mercy  to  the  sons  and  daughters  of  afiliction ;  the 
first  words  he  uttered  after  the  nails  had  pierced  his  hands 
and  his  feet,  and  while  the  shout  of  the  infuriated  rabble  still 
rung  upon  the  ear,  were  in  the  form  of  a  prayer  for  his 
enemies,  who  had  ignorantly  and  mercilessly  crucified  the 
Lord  of  Glory  and  the  Prince  of  Life:  "Father,  forgive 
them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  What  a  triumph  of 
mercy  over  judgment  in  the  bosom  of  him  who  had  legions 
of  angels  to  fly  at  his  command.  His  next  words  were  those 
in  which  he  exhibited  so  impressively  the  harmony  of  bound- 
less benevolence  to  the  race  with  the  intensest  exercise  of 
private  and  domestic  affections,  words  which  demonstrate 
the  folly  and  falsehood  of  many  a  plausible  theory  in  philoso- 
phy founded  upon  the  oversight  or  denial  of  original  and 
indestructible  instincts  of  our  nature.  While  making  an 
atonement  for  sin,  which  in  its  ample  scope  should  embrace 
all  nations  and  all  generations,  his  bosom  burned  with  filial 
affection  to  her  who  bore  him,  and  with  friendship  to  the 
disciple  whom  he  loved;  and  he  said  to  the  one,  "Behold 
thy  son!  "  and  to  the  other  "  Behold  thy  mother! " 

The  next  words  which  he  uttered  were  in  accents  of  mercy 
to  the  dying  felon  who  hung  by  his  side,  and  who,  but  a 
little  while  before,  had  joined  with  his  companion  in  guilt 
and  infamy  on  the  other  side  in  mocking  the  dying  agony  of 
the   "holy,  harmless,  and  undefiled."     No  sooner  does  the 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  343 

crj  of  the  broken  heart  reach  the  ear  of  the  expiring  Re- 
deemer, "Lord,  rememberme,"  than  the  answer  returns,  with 
all  the  authority  and  majesty  of  a  God,  "To-day  thou  shalt 
be  with  me  in  paradise."  AVhat  a  scene  was  that!  A  mys- 
terious sufferer,  shrouded  in  a  veil  of  ignominy,  himself  dying 
under  a  curse,  and,  yet,  as  the  sovereign  of  all  worlds,  dis- 
tributing the  crowns  of  empire,  and  determining  the  destinies 
of  men!  Another  utterance  was  prompted  by  the  burning 
thirst  produced  by  the  intense  anguish  which  he  endured, 
"I  thirst."  Another  was  wrung  from  him  by  the  hiding  of 
his  Father's  face,  the  most  appalling  feature  of  all  his  agony, 
the  loss  of  a  sense  of  his  Father's  favor,  that  Father  in  whose 
bosom  he  had  rested  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  who 
had  sent  his  angels  to  minister  to  his  necessities  in  the  wil- 
derness, to  strengthen  him  in  the  conflict  in  the  garden ;  the 
Father  who  had  testified  at  his  baptism  and  in  the  splendid 
scene  of  the  transfiguration,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased" ;  that  Father,  who  had  never  left  him 
alone  when  surrounded  by  the  most  malignant  and  deter- 
mined adversaries,  had  now,  when  he  was  compassed  about 
with  the  roaring  bulls  of  Bashan  and  dogs  of  hell,  in  this  the 
hour  and  power  of  darkness,  turned  his  back  upon  his  darling 
Son  and  left  him  alone,  a  solitary,  helpless  sufferer!  No 
wonder  that  the  bitter  cry  burst  from  his  lips :  "My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  Mo  ?/  forsaken  me?"  After  that,  and  probably 
next  to  the  last  words,  were  those  in  which  he  resigned  his 
Spirit  into  the  Father's  hands  in  the  confidence  of  faith : 
"Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commit  my  Spirit"  ;  and,  last  of  all, 
according  to  the  most  probable  opinion  as  to  the  order  of 
events,  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  a  voice  which  shook  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  rent  the  vail  of  the  temple  in 
twain  from  the  top  to  the  bottom:  "It  is  finished,"  and 
bowed  his  head  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  These  words,  I 
repeat,  my  brethren,  are  of  deeper  significance  than  all  the 
others ;  they  comprehend  all  the  others.  Let  us  then  inquire 
into  their  pregnant  import. 


344  Miscellanies 

I.  "It is  finished,"  or  "accomplished,"  the  work  which  the 
Father  gave  me  to  do.  This  is  the  explanation  which  he 
himself  gives  ns  in  his  intercessory  prayer.  (John  xvii.  4.) 
The  end  for  which  I  came  into  the  world  has  been  accom- 
plished ;  this  end  is  twofold,  as  suggested  in  John  xvii.  1-3, 
to  glorify  God  and  to  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  the 
Father  had  given  him.     Let  tis  consider  these  in  their  order. 

First,  He  had  glorified  God  by  exhibiting  the  harmony  of 
his  attributes  oi  justice  and  mercy ;  the  supremacy  of  moral 
principle  which  would  not  degrade  the  majesty  of  the  law  by 
dispensing  with  its  sanctions,  which  would  not  expose  the 
veracity  of  the  Holy  One  to  impeachment  by  failing  to 
punish  sin  ;  the  boundlessness  of  that  mercy  which  would 
not  spare  the  only-begotten  and  only-beloved,  but  freely 
delivered  him  for  sinners ;  which  flowed  in  such  an  over- 
whelming torrent  as  to  wear  a  channel  for  itself  in  the  ever- 
lasting mountains  of  justice!  The  loisdovi  displayed  in  the 
constitution  of  Christ's  person  and  in  his  whole  work.  Dwell 
upon  the  glorious  nature  of  Christ's  death  ;  see  Luke's  account 
of  the  transfiguration,  in  which  the  subject  of  conversation 
between  Christ  and  Moses  and  Elias  was  "  the  decease  which 
he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem"  ;  see,  also^  Eph.  iii.  9, 10; 
1  Peter  i.  12;  2  Cor.  iv.  6,  etc.,  etc.  The  change  of  the  Sab- 
bath from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  com- 
pare the  reason  given  for  the  institution  of  the  Sabbath. 
(Gen.  ii.  1-3.) 

Second,  To  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  the  Father  had 
given  him.  Now,  as  it  is  the  law  of  God  which  stands  be- 
tween the  sinner  and  life,  we  must  contemplate  the  relation 
of  the  work  of  Christ  to  the  law.  (See  1  Cor.  xv.  56,  57 ; 
Rom.  viii.  3,  et  imdt.  al.)  The  end  of  the  law  as  originally 
given  was  twofold,  as  a  covenant  and  a  rule,  as  an  instru- 
ment of  justification  and  an  instrument  of  sanctification. 
Now,  Christ  is  the  eiid  of  the  law,  or  has  accomplished  the 
end  of  the  law  in  both  these  respects. 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  345 

First,  Christ  is  the  eud  of  the  law  for  legal  or  justifying 
righteousuess  (Rom.  x.  4,  where  the  term  '^  enxV  is  the  noun 
of  the  verb  in  the  text).  Show  how  he  is  so.  (Gal.  iii.  10-13 ; 
Rom.  viii.  3,  4.)  Show  how  impossible  it  is  rationally  to 
account  for  the  sufferings  of  Jesus  upon  any  other  supposi- 
tion than  that  he  was  under  the  curse  of  the  law  in  our  stead. 

Second,  He  is  the  end  or  completion  of  the  law  for  our 
sanctification.  (See  1  Cor.  ix.  21 :  "  Under  the  law  to  Christ ; " 
1  Cor.  i.  30.)  The  law  is  of  no  use  to  us  in  our  sanctification 
except  in  Jesus.  We  are  sanctified  hj  faith,  as  well  as  justi- 
fied. Jesus  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  our  sanctification,  by 
removing  its  curse  and  making  way  for  the  access  of  the 
Spirit  into  our  hearts.  He  has  made  the  law  of  use  to  us  as 
the  rule  and  measure  of  our  sanctification  by  giving  us 
through  his  blood  a  ^^  good  conscience^  (See  1  Tim.  i.  5-8.) 
The  folly  of  seeking  holiness  by  the  law  without  Christ  and 
the  Spirit.  Both  these  ends  of  the  law  are  represented  as 
accomplished  by  Christ  in  the  blood  and  water  flowing 
together  from  his  side.     (John  xix.  34,  35 ;  1  John  v.  6.) 

II.  Inferences:  First,  As  to  the  nature  of  the  Lord's 
supper ;  not  a  sacrifice,  else  the  work  is  not  fimshed.  (See 
Epistle  to  Hebrews, j!?(ir6^52m.)  Second,  The  glory  of  Christian 
worship.  (See  Hebrews  x.  19-22.)  The  vail  of  the  temple 
was  rent  in  twain  when  Christ  cried,  "It  is  fimshed."  The 
word  rendered  "finished"  the  same  word  which  the  apostle 
in  the  Hebrews  uses  to  express  the  fulfilment  of  the 
types  and  shadows.  Third,  The  safety  of  believers.  (Isa. 
xxviii.  16;  Dan.  ix.  24;  Rom.  viii.  1.)  Fourth,  The  only  evi- 
dence of  our  interest  in  this  finished  work  is  our  holiness. 
Christ  is  our  sanctification ;  if  we  profess  that  he  has  saved 
us  and  live  in  sin,  we  say  that  his  work  is  unfinished. 


346  Miscellanies. 

' '  For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ ;  for  it  is  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth ;  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also 
to  the  Greek.  For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed  from  faith 
to  faith;  as  it  is  written,  The  just  shall  live  by  faith." — Rom.  i.  16,  17. 

In  the  verses  whicli  immediately  precede  these,  the  apostle 
had  asserted  that  his  commission  as  an  ambassador  of  Christ 
extended  to  all  nations  and  all  classes  of  men,  and,  therefore, 
that  he  was  ready  to  preach  the  gospel  even  in  the  city  of 
Rome,  the  chosen  residence  of  philosophers,  orators,  and 
poets,  the  seat  of  science  and  the  arts,  the  theatre  upon  which 
.  the  splendor  and  magnificence  of  the  imperial  court  were  dis- 
played, and  the  metropolis  of  the  world.  He  knew  the  pre- 
judices of  ignorance,  superstition,  interest,  and  philosophy, 
falsely  so  called,  that  he  would  be  compelled  to  encounter. 
Illustrate  by  1  Cor.  i.  23,  24.  The  Jews  expected  a  glorious 
Messiah ;  a  king  who  would  go  forth  conquering  and  to  con- 
quer ;  who  would  execute  vengeance  upon  the  heathen,  bind- 
ing their  kings  with  chains,  and  their  nobles  with  fetters  of 
iron ;  a  king  to  whom  every  knee  should  bow,  and  every 
tongue  should  swear ;  who  would  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his 
father  David,  and  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel.  All  these 
glowing  anticipations  were  fully  warranted  by  the  predic- 
tions of  their  prophets.  But  they  overlooked  the  fact  that 
these  predictions  also  foretold  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
their  Messiah ;  that  his  humiliation  must  go  before  his  exalt- 
ation ;  that  the  pathway  to  glory  lay  through  the  grave,  and 
that  without  the  shame  and  agony  of  Calvary  he  could  not 
be  crowned  upon  the  holy  hill  of  Zion.  "Christ  crucified" 
was  to  them,  therefore,  a  stumbling-block.  To  the  wisdom 
of  this  world  he  was  "foolishness."  The  fanciful  specula- 
tions of  Plato,  the  iron  logic  of  Aristotle,  the  great  swelling 
words  of  Zeno,  amused  their  imaginations,  furnished  an 
arena  to  their  intellectual  activity,  and  gratified  their  pride. 
They  would  have  listened  to  the  apostles  if  they  had  discoursed 
upon  the  harmonies  of  the  universe,  or  the  nature  of  things, 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  347 

or  the  beauty  of  virtue ;  but  when  they  heard  that  God 
called  them  to  believe  in  one  Jesus,  a  Jew  who  was  crucified 
between  two  common  felons,  and  that  upon  their  failure  to  be- 
lieve they  should  be  damned — they  mocked.  They  regarded 
the  whole  system  with  the  profoundest  contempt,  as  a  mere 
matter  of  words  and  names.  The  thing  itself  was  folly,  and 
its  expounders  and  defenders  enthusiasts  and  madmen. 
The  apostle  knew  all  this.  He  had  that  refinement  and  sensi- 
bility of  feeling  which  is  created  by  a  liberal  education,  and 
increased  by  the  spirit  of  Christianity.  He  did  not  wish  to 
be  regarded  as  the  apostate  by  his  brethren,  his  kinsmen,  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,  nor  did  he  wish  to  stand  before  the  fra- 
ternity of  the  learned  as  a  madman  or  a  fool.  All  his 
feelings  recoiled  from  it.  Yet  he  was  not  ashamed  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  The  glory  of  God  as  it  shines  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  had  beamed  on  his  soul,  and  all  other  glories  had 
been  swallowed  up  and  absorbed  in  its  surpassing  splendor. 
Henceforth  he  was  determined  to  know  nothing  save  Christ 
and  him  crucified.  Christ  occupied  his  whole  field  of  vision. 
He  could  see  nothing  else.  The  love  of  Christ  was  the  rul- 
ing passion  of  his  soul,  and,  like  Aaron's  rod,  swallowed  all 
the  rest.  For  him  to  live  was  Christ,  for  him  to  suffer  was 
Christ,  for  him  to  die  was  Christ.  For  him  to  be  the  filth 
and  off-scouring  of  all  things  was  Christ,  for  him  to  be  a 
madman  and  a  fool  was  Christ.  And  hence  he  says  to  the 
Romans,  "I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ."  I  am 
not  ashamed  to  go  into  the  streets  of  your  imperial  city  and 
to  proclaim  your  worship  to  be  a  doctrine  of  vanities.  I  am 
not  ashamed  to  stand  in  your  splendid  temples  and  pro- 
nounce them  but  splendid  monuments  of  your  apostasy  from 
God.  I  am  not  ashamed  to  stand  by  the  victims  that  bleed 
upon  your  altars  and  denounce  them  as  sacrifices  offered  to 
devils ;  nay,  I  am  not  ashamed  to  stand  in  the  presence- 
chamber  of  your  emperor,  to  reason  with  him  of  righteous- 
ness, temperance,  and  judgment  to  come,  that  he  may  trera- 


348  Miscellanies. 

ble;  to  tell  him  that  he  is  a  dying  sinner,  and  that  there  is 
none  other  name  given  under  heaven  among  men  whereby  he 
may  be  saved  but  the  name  of  Christ.  This  was  the  spirit 
that  animated  Paul. 

I.  The  ground  of  his  glorying.  For  the  gospel  is  the 
"power  of  God  unto  salvation."  Explain  the  meaning  of  the 
expression.  (See  Gal.  iii.  21;  Rom.  viii.  3.)  The  perfections 
of  God  require  that  the  law  should  be  satisfied  as  to  all  its 
claims.  If  God  should  bestow  the  reward,  while  the  claims 
of  the  law  have  not  been  fulfilled,  he  would  tarnish  the  purity 
of  his  throne,  and  dishonor  the  law,  which  is  the  expression 
of  his  own  holiness ;  he  would  cease  to  be  God.  This  is  a 
truth  not  proved,  but  taken  for  granted  by  the  apostle,  and 
made  the  basis  of  the  argument ;  the  next  step  is  to  show 
that  this  righteousness  cannot  be  rendered  by  the  sinner 
(verse  18) ;  and  the  last  is  to  show  that  God  has  provided  it 
(verses  3,  21,  etc.).  False  notions  about  the  sovereignty  of 
God;  no  self-determining  power  of  the  will;  his  will  deter- 
mined by  his  nature,  and  while  he  acts  freely  and  must  act 
freely,  he  at  the  same  time  acts  by  the  most  absolute  neces- 
sity in  many  things.  God  may  speak  to  men  or  not,  but  if 
he  does  speak  he  7nu8t  speak  the  truth.  God  might  have 
created  men  or  not,  but  when  they  have  been  created,  he 
■must  he  thalr  vioral  governor.  He  might  have  willed  a  con- 
stitution of  things  in  which  there  should  be  no  sin,  or  a  con- 
stitution in  which  sin  should  exist.  But  upon  the  supposi- 
tion that  there  is  sin,  he  tmist  punish  it.  There  are  some 
things  which  it  is  the  glory  of  God  he  cannot  do,  that  is, 
which  he  cannot  will  (for,  as  it  has  been  ably  shown,  poioer 
in  God  is  lo'dl).  (See  Heb.  vi.  18;  2  Tim.  ii.  13.)  Now,  in 
this  sense,  we  aflirm  that  God  cannot  save  a  sinner  without  a 
perfect  righteousness,  a  perfect  conformity  to  the  law.  It  is 
to  be  observed,  that  the  idea  of  salvation,  according  to  the 
Scriptures,  includes  not  only  the  negative  notion  of  deliver- 
ance from  punishment,  but  the  positive  notion  of  acceptance 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  349 

with  God ;  not  only  pardon,  but  justijicdtion.  These  two 
things,  then,  are  to  be  considered:  1.  The  impossibihty  of 
the  sinner's  providing  this  righteousness.  2.  The  bringing 
in  of  this  righteousness  of  God,  hence  called  "the  righteous- 
ness of  God,"  which  makes  the  gospel  the  "  power  of  God 
to  salvation." 

1.  The  impossibility  of  the  sinner's  providing  this  right- 
eousness. Argue  from  the  nature  of  the  righteousness  and 
the  condition  of  the  sinner.  Righteousness  of  the  broken  law 
twofold:  First,  Conformity  to  its  precepts.  Second,  Sat- 
isfaction to  its  penalty.  Show  the  impossibility  of  the  sin- 
ner's rendering  the  first,  because  he  is  "  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins."  Show  the  impossibility  of  his  rendering  the  sec- 
ond, from  the  fact  that  he  is  finite  and  the  penalty  of  the  law 
infinite;  and,  therefore,  if  he  suffers  it,  he  must  suffer  ii  for- 
ever, which,  of  course,  is  incompatible  with  salvation.  Both 
active  and  passive  obedience  is  necessary  if  the  sinner  is  to 
be  not  only  delivered  from  punishment,  but  entitled  to  the 
reward. 

2.  God  has  provided  this  righteousness.  Explain  the  terms, 
and  unfold  the  nature  of  this  righteousness  so  achieved  by 
Christ,  together  with  the  mysterious  and  admirable  constitu- 
tion of  his  person. 

II.  The  manner  in  which  Christ's  righteousness  becomes 
the  sinner's,  "  to  every  one  that  helieveth."  Union  with  Christ 
by  faith  necessary.  We  must  be  married  to  Christ.  Faith 
is  the  nuptial  ring,  as  Luther  says. 

Innprovement.  The  dreadful  condition  of  those  who  are 
ashamed  of  the  gospel.  It  is  the  "power  of  God,"  and  if 
they  reject  it  their  case  is  hopeless.  It  is  out  of  the  power 
of  God  to  save  them.  They  seal  their  perdition  effectually. 
(Mark  xvi.  16;  Heb.  x.  26,  27;  Mark  viii.  38;  Dan.  xii.  2; 
Rev.  iii.  17,  18,  compared  with  xix.  7,  8.)  The  duty  of  the 
saints  to  magnify  God  their  Saviour.  Oh !  why  should  our 
heads  ever  hang  down  ? 


350  Miscellanies. 

"And  that,  knowing  the  time,  that  now  it  is  high  time  to  awake  out  of 
sleep;  for  now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed.  The  night 
is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand;  let  us  therefore  cast  off  the  works  of  dark- 
ness and  let  us  put  on  the  armor  of  light.  Let  us  walk  honestly,  as  in  the 
day ;  not  in  rioting  and  drunkenness,  not  in  chambering  and  wantonness, 
not  in  strife  and  envying.  But  put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  make 
not  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof."— Rom.  xiii.  11-14. 

Different  interpretations  of  this  passage.  (See  Mac- 
Knight,  hi  loco.)  Two  of  these  virtually  run  into  each  other: 
that  which  makes  the  term  "salvation"  to  refer  to  the  Chris- 
tian's death,  and  that  which  makes  it  to  refer  to  the  day  of 
judgment.  The  latter,  the  best  sustained  by  scriptural  usage. 
The  term  is  used  in  a  variety  of  senses.  In  its  widest  sense, 
corresponding  to  the  term  "everlasting  life,"  comprehending 
our  whole  deliverance  from  sin,  in  soul,  body,  and  spirit, 
and  terminating,  therefore,  only  with  the  resurrection  of  the 
body.  (See  1  Peter  i.  5-9;  Titus  ii.  11.)  And  in  this  sense 
we  are  always  at  liberty  to  understand  it,  unless  there  is 
something  in  the  context  which  necessarily  limits  it ;  and  as 
there  is  nothing  here  to  limit  it,  of  course  it  may  be  so  un- 
derstood. But  as  has  been  said,  it  necessarily  includes  that 
partial  salvation  which  accrues  at  death  to  the  beUever ;  and 
the  apostle's  exhortation  is  equally  forcible  in  either  case- 
Taken  in  the  largest  sense,  it  corresponds  with  many  other 
passages,  as  for  example,  Titus  ii.  12,  13 ;  2  Peter  iii.  11,  12 ; 
Phil.  iii.  20,  21 ;  Matt.  xxiv.  25. 

"Knowing  the  time"  (xaioov).  The  duty  of  being  awake 
and  of  living  to  God  at  all  times ;  but  this  obligation  is  stronger 
at  certahi  seasons  than  at  others.  The  duty  of  studying 
God's  providence  in  order  to  this  end.  Being  awake  and 
putting  on  the  armor  of  light  imply  two  things:  (1),  Know- 
ledge ;  (2),  Hohness.  (It  is  explained  in  the  fourteenth  verse 
as  "putting  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ";  that  is  to  say,  we 
must  be  clothed  with  the  doctrine  and  the  character  of  Christ.) 
Now,  what  is  there  in  the  thne  and  season  in  which  we  live 
which  makes  it  pecuHarly  important  to  be  clothed  with  the 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  351 

hioioledge  and  holiness  of  the  Lord  Jesus?  I  answer,  in  the 
first  place,  there  is  a  great  indifference  to  truth  (which  re- 
cently I  stated  to  spring  from  the  nature  of  our  political 
constitution,  and  a  most  pernicious  species  of  charity  pre- 
vailing.) Associations  of  all  kinds,  founded  upon  a  sacrifice, 
greater  or  less,  of  truth.  The  world's  convention  for  forming 
an  union  of  all  Christian  denominations.  Men  deliberately 
prefer  etiquette  to  truth ;  the  conventional  rules  of  society  to 
the  law  of  God.  We  must  not  say  anything  against  any 
man's  creed,  for  we  might  hurt  his  feelings.  The  present 
generation  wants :  1.  A  sense  of  the  imjportance  of  truth ; 
hence  that  sacrifice  of  principle  which  lies  at  the  bottom  of 
all  the  constitutions  of  moral  voluntary  associations.  2.  Con- 
fidence in  the  poioer  of  truth,  as  the  means  instituted  by  God 
for  the  regeneration  of  lost  men ;  hence  the  origin  of  these 
associations.  The  preaching  of  the  gospel,  which  is  God's 
means,  is  "foolishness,"  and,  therefore,  an  apparatus  must  be 
invented  in  some  degree  commensurate  with  the  magnitude 
of  the  result  to  be  accomplished.  3.  A  just  conception  of  the 
end  for  which  the  truth  is  proclaimed.  The  truth  is  not  pro- 
claimed under  the  present  dispensation  in  order  to  triumph, 
but  in  order  to  be  a  witness  for  God.  But  this  is  the  view 
taken  of  the  matter  by  the  present  generation,  and  hence  the 
associations,  in  order  to  magnify  themselves,  deal  very  largely 
in  accounts  of  their  achievements,  results.  (See  Isaiah  Iv.  11 ; 
2  Cor.  ii.  15,  16.) 

The  only  true  charity  is  that  which  rejoices  in  the  truth- 
How  different  in  the  times  of  the  apostles!  (John  x.  11; 
2  Peter  ii.  1,  2 ;  iii.  17 ;  Acts  xx.  17,  etc.)  Enlarge  upon  the 
importance  of  truth ;  the  image  of  God  revealed  therein ;  the 
only  hope  for  lost  men ;  sealed  with  the  blood  of  the  noblest 
men  who  ever  lived ;  the  wickedness  of  undervaluing,  or  neg- 
lecting or  perverting  the  truth  ;  the  absurdity  of  attempting 
to  change  the  truth,  such  an  attempt  involving  an  attempt  to 
change  the  necessary  relations  of  things.     A  regard  for  the 


^52  Miscellanies. 

trutli  and  a  defence  of  it  peculiarly  incumbent  upon  the  offi- 
cers of  tlie  church,  but  belong  to  all.  The  injunction  cited  by 
John  is,  as  has  been  well  observed,  addressed  to  a  lady  and  her 
children  ("to  the  elect  lady,"  etc.).  The  great  error  of  the 
generation  is  the  not  perceiving  the  importance  of  the  prin- 
ciple of  faith.  As  has  been  well  observed,  it  is  a  day  "  of 
moral  inquiry,"  a  day  of  associations  of  all  kinds  to  amelio- 
rate the  condition  of  the  race.  And  it  is  to  be  feared,  that 
the  gospel  is  coming  to  be  regarded  as  only  one  of  the  instru- 
mentalities which  may  be  employed  for  this  purpose,  and  not 
as  it  really  is,  the  power  of  God.  Men  have  even  impudently 
boasted  that  the  gospel  has  failed  to  do  what  their  own  ap- 
paratus has  achieved,  and  leaders  in  moral  associations  pre- 
sume to  lecture  faithful  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ  for  neglect 
of  duty.  And  here  is  another  feature  of  "the  time":  the 
languishing  condition  of  vital  godliness  among  Christians,  and 
the  prevalence  of  iniquity  among  men  of  the  world,  and  this 
brings  us  to  the  second  point.  This  deplorable  state  of  prac- 
tical religion  springs  from  the  sins  of  which  I  have  spoken 
above;  indifference  to  truth,  depending  upon  the  wisdom 
of  man  rather  than  the  power  of  God.  "  Truth,  in  order  to 
goodness;"  faith,  the  only  root  of  obedience.  Now,  faith 
has  truth  for  its  object;  where  there  is  no  truth,  no  faith; 
and  where  there  is  no  faith,  no  obedience.  "W^here,  there- 
fore, there  is  not  truth,  there  can  be  no  gospel  obedience. 
There  may  be  a  great  deal  of  noisy  pretension  to  holiness, 
and,  no  doubt,  there  is,  at  the  present  day,  a  grand  mistake 
made  as  to  the  nature  of  holiness.  It  is  not  speaking  with 
the  tongue  of  men  or  angels ;  it  is  not  giving  our  goods  to 
feed  the  poor,  or  our  bodies  to  be  burned,  that  makes  us  holy. 
We  may  do  all  these,  and  still  be  as  sounding  brass  and  a 
tinkling  cymbal.  We  may  do  all  these  things,  and  still  have 
the  spirit  of  the  ancient  monarch  of  the  East,  who  walked 
in  his  palace  with  ineffable  self-complacency,  and  indulged 
himself  in   contemplating  the  city  as  the  work   of  his   own 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  353 

hands.  "Is  not  this  great  Babylon?"  etc.  All  these  things 
are  nothing;  indeed,  worse  than  nothing,  without  that  love 
or  charity  which  "rejoiceth  in  the  truth,"  and  which,  there- 
fore, must  be  grounded  in  faith.  The  holiness  of  the  Scrip- 
tures is  the  life  of  Christ,  a  life  in  Christ,  a  life  by  Christ, 
a  life  to  Christ.  "The  life  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,"  etc. 
"God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,"  etc.  It  is  not  a  life  that 
everybody  can  see,  a  life  which  develops  itself  in  thousands 
of  men  and  in  millions  of  money ;  but  a  hidden  life,  a  life  hid 
with  Christ  in  God. 

Exhortation  to  Christians :  Awake  and  put  on  the  armor 
of  light.  Look  around  you.  See  the  multitudje  of  errors  that 
infest  the  country.  The  grace  of  God  denied ;  the  power  of 
faith  forgotten  ;  the  simple  means  which  God  has  instituted 
for  the  salvation  of  mankind  buried  under  the  mass  of  human 
inventions ;  the  first  table  of  the  decalogue  covered  by  the 
second  (the  happiness  of  man  made  paramount  to  the  glory 
of  God).  Shall  we  abandon  ourselves  to  a  voluptuous  repose 
while  the  devil  is  cheating  men  of  their  souls  ?  Shall  we  not 
be  witnesses  for  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus?  Brethren,  your 
vocation  is  to  glorify  God  in  the  salvation  of  souls ;  your  own 
souls  and  the  souls  of  others.  Beware  lest  you  be  found  un- 
faithful. Tell  men  of  their  sins;  tell  them  of  Jesus  who  died 
for  sinners ;  tell  them  what  the  Lord  hath  done  for  your  own 
soul.  Beware  lest  your  anxiety  to  save  them  lead  you  to 
pervert  the  truth ;  do  not  flatter  them  in  the  belief  that  they 
can  save  themselves.  The  truth  which  you  are  to  tell  them 
is  that  "  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners," 
not  to  help  sinners  save  themselves.  You  may  think  that 
it  will  be  better  to  tell  them  that  they  are  partly  dependent 
upon  themselves  and  partly  upon  Christ  for  salvation.  But 
what  right  have  you  to  pervert  the  truth  ?  What  right  have 
you  to  substitute  your  own  notions  of  expediency  for  the 
wisdom  of  God  ?  You  are  to  tell  men  the  truth,  whether  they 
Avill  hear  or  whether  they  will  forbear ;  whether  the  truth 
33 


354  Miscellanies. 

shall  be  received  or  whether  it  shall  be  rejected;  whether 
it  prove  a  savor  of  life  or  a  savor  of  death.  Woe,  woe,  woe 
to  the  man  who  perverts  the  truth.  Remember  always  that 
the  glory  of  God  is  a  more  important  matter  than  the  happi- 
ness of  the  universe ;  his  throne  is  founded  upon  truth  and 
righteousness,  and  this  foundation  must  be  preserved  though 
ten  millions  of  worlds  should  be  cast  into  hell.  Let  not  men 
lord  it  over  your  faith ;  call  no  man  master  upon  earth  ;  you 
have  a  Master  in  heaven ;  let  your  faith  be  fixed  upon  him ; 
believe  nothing  for  salvation  which  he  has  not  proposed  for 
your  belief;  do  nothing  for  his  glory  which  he  has  not  com- 
manded you  to  do.  He  alone  is  Lord  of  our  understandings, 
our  consciences,  and  our  hearts.  Let  the  life  you  now  live 
be  by  faith  on  the  Son  of  God ;  let  your  conversation  be  in 
heaven,  whence  you  look  for  his  coming.  Live  for  him,  suffer 
for  him,  die  for  him,  labor  that  he  may  be  formed  in  the 
hearts  of  men,  and  especially  in  your  own  heart,  the  hope  of 
glory.  Deny  yourselves  and  take  up  the  cross  and  follow 
Jesus.  It  is  a  hard  thing,  brethren,  to  be  a  Christian;  there- 
fore endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ.  We 
are  not  called  to  be  happy  (though  we  shall  be  happy) ;  we 
are  called  to  serve  God  who  bought  us  with  his  own  blood, 
and  if  we  should  have  to  serve  him  in  nakedness,  hunger, 
tears,  darkness  and  all  manner  of  distress,  what  matters  it  ? 
Our  salvation  is  very  near,  nearer  than  when  we  believed. 
Soon  will  our  Lord  appear,  and  we  shall  appear  with  him  in 
glory ;  he  will  place  upon  our  heads  crowns  of  righteousness, 
which  he  died  to  purchase  for  us.  Oh !  awake  and  put  on 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  there  are  sinners  around  us  to  be 
saved ;  there  are  those  in  this  congregation  near  and  dear  to 
us  by  the  ties  of  friendship  and  of  blood  who  are  still  under 
the  wrath  of  God.  Oh!  will  you  not  awake?  Will  you  not 
Hve  in  prayer  to  God  for  the  outpouring  of  his  Spirit  ?  Will 
you  not  teach  sinners  and  warn  them  night  and  day  with 
tears?  "Turn  us,  O  God,  turn  us  and  cause  thy  face  to 
shine,  and  we  shall  be  saved."     Amen  and  amen. 


Other  Sermons  a.nd  Briefs.  355 


'  For  ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that,  though  he  was 
rich,  yet  for  your  salves  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might 
be  rich,"— 2  Corinthians  viii.  9. 

To  have  the  love  and  esteem  of  the  poor,  the  oppressed, 
the  degraded,  the  miserable  in  the  world,  is  the  source  of  a 
joy  and  satisfaction  for  which  heroes  and  conquerors,  all 
whom  the  world,  in  its  folly  and  blindness,  pronounces  happy, 
might  be  glad  to  exchange  their  proudest  triumphs  and  most 
intoxicating  successes.  What  is  Alexander  the  Great,  com- 
pared with  Howard,  the  philanthropist,  the  lover  of  man- 
kind? The  one  budding  his  greatness  on  the  prostrate  bodies 
of  those  who  were  bone  of  his  bone  and  flesh  of  his  flesh ; 
revelling  in  scenes  of  blood  and  carnage  to  gratify  a  diaboli- 
cal ambition ;  filling  the  same  breezes  that  wafted  his  name 
to  other  regions  and  to  other  ages  with  the  groans  and  wail- 
ings  of  the  wounded  and  the  dying ;  the  other  erecting  an 
imperishable  memorial  of  his  greatness  in  the  hearts  of  thou- 
sands relieved  by  his  labors  of  love,  and  transmitting  his 
fame  to  posterity  in  the  praises  of  the  downtrodden,  the 
poor,  and  the  miserable  in  all  quarters  of  the  civilized  world. 
With  what  satisfaction  does  the  ancient  patriarch,  in  the 
hour  of  his  heavy  calamity,  reflect  upon  his  kindness  to  the 
poor!  (Job  XXIX.  11-18;  xxx.  25.)  With  what  confldence 
does  he  invoke  the  vengeance  of  the  Almighty  if  he  had  been 
guilty  of  oppressing  the  helpless  and  the  despised!  (Job 
xxxi.  15-22.)  The  recollection  of  his  charities  sent  a  thrill 
of  joy  through  his  heart  while  he  sat  in  sackcloth  and  ashes, 
destitute  of  property,  children,  and  friends,  with  the  terrors 
of  the  Almighty  arrayed  against  him,  and  the  poison  of  his 
arrows  drinking  up  his  spirit ;  for  he  regarded  them  as  evi- 
dences of  the  past  favor  of  God,  and  was  encouraged  to  hope 
that  his  righteousness  would  be  revealed  as  the  noonday. 
They  encouraged  him  to  beheve  that  he  who  bestowed  upon 
him  such  rich  graces  would  not  always  chide,  nor  keep  his 


356  Miscellanies. 

anger  for  ever ;  that  the  night  of  weeping  would,  sooner  or 
later,  be  succeeded  by  a  day  of  rejoicing.  They  revealed  to 
him  his  conformity  to  the  Son  of  God,  whom,  with  the  eye 
of  faith,  he  saw  standing  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth, 
preaching  good  tidings  to  the  meek,  binding  up  the  broken- 
hearted, proclaiming  liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening 
of  the  prison  to  the  bound ;  and  this  conformity  he  had  been 
instructed  by  the  Spirit  to  regard  as  inseparably  connected 
with  everlasting  life. 

Mercy  is  represented  as  the  distinguishing  feature  of  the 
believer.  The  believer  is  one  who  is  created  anew  after  the 
image  of  God  ;  and  as  the  most  conspicuous  feature  in  the 
character  of  God  is  his  mercy,  it  must  be  the  same  with  those 
who  bear  his  image.  Consider  Matthew  v.  43-48;  compare 
the  parallel,  Luke  vi.  27-36,  in  which  a  more  specific  allusion 
to  deeds  of  charity  is  made.  It  seems  to  be  made  the  very 
essence  of  piety.  In  Matthew  v.  48  the  term  '^perfect'''  is 
used;  in  the  parallel  passage  of  Luke  (verse  36),  the  term 
'■'■inercifair  To  be  tnerciful,  therefore,  is  to  be  perfect,  in 
the  scriptural  sense  of  the  term ;  that  is,  to  be  a  sound,  genu- 
ine, sincere  lover  of  God.  Compare  Matthew  xix.  15-22. 
Our  Saviour  reveals  to  the  young  man  the  unsoundness  of 
his  religion  by  commanding  him  to  sell  all  that  he  had  and 
give  to  the  poor.  How  many  a  fair  profession  at  the  present 
day  would  fall  before  that  test!  Consider,  also,  Hebrews  vi. 
10.  The  apostle  here  distinguishes  the  true  children  of  God 
from  those  who  were  only  "  enlightened,"  etc.  (Heb.  iv.  6), 
and  who  might  fall  into  apostasy;  and  the  evidence  which 
he  mentions  of  real  adoption  is  "ministering  to  the  saints." 
Compare  Matthew  xxv.  34-46. 

The  grounds  upon  which  this  duty  is  founded  are — 

1.  The  plain  commands  of  God's  word. 

2.  The  example  of  Jesus  Christ.  (See  the  text  and  other 
places.) 

3.  The  image  of  God  in  the  poor;  our  duty  to  respect  it 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  357 

and  love  it.  Consider  Proverbs  xiv.  31.  He  that  oppresseth 
the  poor  reproaches  God  specifically  as  the  Maker  of  men, 
because  he  values  men  more  on  account  of  certain  adventi- 
tious circumstances  than  for  the  image  of  God  which  they 
bear.  All  the  dignity  and  glory  of  man  is  founded  upon  his 
possession  of  the  divine  image.  Consider  the  reason  upon 
which  the  malignity  of  murder  and  the  necessity  of  capital 
punishment  are  founded.  (Gen.  ix.  6;  i.  26;  1  Cor.  xi.  7; 
Eph.  iv.  24,  etc.)  He,  therefore,  who  grounds  his  admira- 
tion on  anything  else  than  the  degree  in  which  men  exhibit 
the  image  of  God  despises  that  image  and  dishonors  God. 
Hence,  our  love  to  the  brethren  (those  who  exhibit  the  image 
of  God  most  illustriously)  is  made  a  test  of  our  Christian 
character.  If  it  should  be  said  that  it  would  follow  from  this 
doctrine  that  we  are  to  assist  only  the  saints — for  the  image 
of  God  is  entirely  effaced  from  the  natural  man — I  answer 
that  it  is  true  our  first  attention  is  due  to  the  saints,  "  to  the 
household  of  faith";  but  it  is  also  true  that  we  are  to  "do 
good  unto  all  men,  as  we  have  opportunity."  (Gal.  vi.  10.) 
The  image  of  God  is,  indeed,  entirely  effaced  from  the  soul 
of  man,  so  far  as  it  consists  in  righteousness  and  true  hoh- 
ness;  but  the  soul  is  still  a  soul,  a  spiritual  substance,  an  in- 
tellectual nature.  We  may  still  perceive  in  its  exalted  ca- 
pacities something  of  its  original  brightness,  as  the  sun  in 
an  eclipse  may  still  remind  us  of  the  splendor  of  its  un- 
clouded effulgence.  Fallen  man  is  still  the  image  of  his  Cre- 
ator, though  an  image  in  ruins.  If  there  is  still  enough  of  that 
original  likeness  remaining  to  call  down  the  heavy  vengeance 
of  the  Almighty  on  him  who  destroys  it  by  murder,  there  is 
surely  enough  to  make  it  our  imperative  duty  to  assist  those 
who  are  in  indigence  and  distress.  And  further,  we  know  not 
but  that,  in  relieving  the  necessities  of  the  ungodly  man,  we 
are  ministering  to  one  who  has  been  redeemed  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus,  is  destined  to  be  conformed  to  his  image  by  the  en- 
ergy of  the  sanctifying  Spirit,  and  to  dwell  with  him  before 
his  throne  in  glory. 


358  Miscellanies. 

4.  Another  ground  of  this  duty  is  the  fact  that  the  disposi- 
tion to  give  alms  is  the  only  evidence  which  we  can  have 
that  we  have  a  right  to  the  good  things  of  this  life  ourselves. 
Oonsider  the  remarkable  words  of  our  Saviour,  Luke  xi.  41 : 
■"But  rather  give  alms  of  such  things  as  ye  have;  and,  be- 
hold, all  things  are  clean  unto  you."  (Compare  1  Tim.  iv. 
3-5;  Gen.  iii.  17,  18;  Psalm  viii.  5;  Heb.  ii.  9;  Kom.  viii.  20, 
21.)  Remark  upon  the  manner  in  which  man's  right  to  the 
use  of  the  creatures  was  originally  acquired ;  how  it  was  lost 
by  his  sin,  and  regained  by  Christ,  who  was  an  atonement 
for  sin.  Remark,  also,  upon  the  foundation  of  the  command 
in  reference  to  the  distinction  between  clean  and  unclean 
food,  and  the  abrogation  of  the  command  by  the  death  of 
Ohrist.  To  the  Christian,  therefore,  who  has  been  crucified 
with  Christ,  and  made  a  partaker  of  his  death,  all  things  are 
clean.  (1  Tim.  iv.  3-5.)  He  has  a  right,  by  virtue  of  his 
union  with  Christ,  who  has  dominion  over  all  the  creatures, 
to  use  them  all.  But  to  the  unbeliever  all  things  are  un- 
clean ;  that  is,  he  has  no  right  to  the  use  of  any  of  the  crea- 
tures. (Titus  i.  15.)  Now,  our  Saviour  tells  the  Pharisees 
that  the  only  evidence  they  can  have  that  they  are  pure,  and 
that  all  things  are  not  unclean  to  them,  is  their  giving  alms. 
Again,  we  are  told  that  "thanksgiving"  is  essential  to  the 
lawful  use  of  the  creatures.  (1  Tim.  iv.  3,  4.)  Now,  wher- 
ever there  is  a  thankful  heart,  there  will  be  a  disposition  to 
relieve  the  necessities  of  others.  Where,  therefore,  there  is 
no  such  disposition,  there  is  no  thankfulness;  and  where 
there  is  no  thankfulness,  there  is  no  right  use  of  the  ordinary 
bounties  of  Providence. 

5.  Another  ground  of  this  duty  is  that  thanksgiving  may 
abound  unto  God  on  that  account.  The  importance  attached 
to  thanksgiving  in  the  Scriptures.  (1  Thess.  v.  18,  et  al.)  It 
is  represented  as  the  accomplishment  of  all  God's  will  con- 
cerning us ;  and  it  is  mentioned  as  one  grave  charge  against 
the  world  lying  in  wickedness,  that  they  are  not  thankful. 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  359 

(Rom.  i.  21.)  Now,  almsgiving,  by  leading  us  to  visit  the 
abodes  of  poverty  and  wickedness,  or  in  other  ways  giving 
us  a  knowledge  of  the  destitute  condition  of  our  race,  is  the 
occasion  of  our  comparing  our  condition  with  theirs,  and  so 
of  making  us  sensible  of  the  distinguishing  goodness  of  God. 
On  the  other  hand,  when  we  minister  to  the  necessities  of 
others,  it  becomes  the  spring  of  thanksgiving  to  them,  and  so 
God  is  glorified.  (2  Cor.  ix.  11-13;  iv.  15.)  If  we  have  any 
regard  for  God's  glory ;  if  we  desire  that  the  mouths  of  men 
should  be  filled  with  his  praises,  it  becomes  us  to  give  our- 
selves to  this  duty.     But  the  reasons  are  innumerable. 

Ways  in  which  the  poor  are  to  be  relieved:  First,  By 
visiting  them.  (Matt.  xxv.  36 ;  James  i.  27.)  This  is  of  itself 
a  great  alleviation  of  the  calamities  of  the  poor,  and  sweetens 
the  gifts  which  they  receive.  Second,  By  instructing  them  in 
the  principles  of  religion  and  praying  with  and  for  them. 
This  is  the  noblest  kind  of  alms,  as  South  justly  observes : 
"  For  he  that  teacheth  another  gives  an  alms  to  his  soul ;  he 
clothes  the  nakedness  of  his  understanding,  and  relieves  the 
wants  of  his  impoverished  reason."  (  Works,  p.  76,  Vol.  I.) 
And  it  is  an  alms  which  many  are  able  to  bestow  when  they 
have  neither  silver  nor  gold.  (Acts  iii.  6.)  Third,  By  sup- 
plying their  temporal  wants  either  out  of  our  own  means,  or, 
if  God  has  denied  them,  by  using  our  influence  with  others 
to  whom  he  has  not  denied  them.  This  opens  the  way  for 
the  reception  of  Christian  warning  and  counsel.  We  should 
never  lose  sight  of  our  great  object,  which  is  to  glorify  God 
in  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  men ;  but  I  say  that  any  relief 
afforded  to  their  bodies  prepares  the  way  by  disposing  them 
to  love  us,  and,  consequently,  to  listen  to  the  truth  from  our 
mouths.  Consider  the  example  of  Christ.  What  a  wonderful 
effect  was  given  to  his  teachings  by  his  miracles  of  benevo- 
lence to  the  bodies  of  men!     (Matt.  viii.  17.) 

The  measure  and  rule  of  this  duty.  First,  Opportunity. 
(Gal.  vi.  10.)     Second,  Ability.     (2  Cor.  viii.  11,  12;  1  Cor. 


360  Miscellanies. 

xvi.  2.)  Danger  of  covetousness.  The  more  God  prospers 
us  the  more  we  are  to  give ;  for  God  gives  to  no  man  that  he 
may  hoard  it  up.  We  are  exhorted  to  be  dihgent  in  busi- 
ness in  order  that  we  may  give  to  them  that  need.  This  is 
the  only  lawful  end  of  money-making  recognized  by  the  word 
of  God.  (Eph.  iv.  28 ;  2  Cor.  viii.  14,  15.)  We  are  to  re- 
member that  we  are  stewards  of  the  Lord's  bounties  and  that 
nothing  is  our  own.  (1  Peter  iv.  9.)  And  as  stewards  we 
must  render  an  account,  and,  therefore,  we  ought  to  be  faith- 
ful. (1  Cor.  iv.  2;  Luke  sii.  42.)  The  curses  denounced 
against  those  who  lay  up  their  wealth,  even  though  it  be  for 
their  children.  (Ps.  xhx.  10,  11 ;  Eccl.  ii.  21 ;  v.  13-17.)  The 
consummate  folly  of  leaving  wealth  to  children ;  in  the  vast 
majority  of  cases  it  only  furnishes  them  with  the  means  of 
dishonoring  the  memories  of  their  parents.  Third,  Indi- 
vidual effort ;  dangerous  tendency  of  associations ;  diminish 
sense  of  responsibility. 

Application.  1.  Self-examination.  2.  Mention  some  addi- 
tional considerations  to  enforce  the  duty,  as.  First,  That  to 
refuse  to  relieve  the  poor  is  "to  despise  the  wisdom  of  God 
in  the  disposal  of  the  condition  of  men  in  the  world." 
(Owen  on  Heb.  xiii.  16.)  "He  doth  it  for  the  exercise  of 
those  graces  in  them  which  their  several  conditions  call  for; 
such  as  patience,  submission,  and  trust  in  the  poor ;  thank- 
fulness, bounty,  and  charity  in  the  rich.  And  where  those 
graces  are  mutually  exercised  there  is  beauty,  order,  and  har- 
mony, with  a  revenue  of  glory  and  praise  to  himself.  Good 
men  are  scarce  ever  more  sensible  of  God  than  in  giving  and 
receiving  in  a  due  manner.  He  that  gives  aright  finds  the 
power  of  divine  grace  in  his  heart;  and  he  that  receives  is 
sensible  of  divine  care  and  love  in  supplies ;  God  is  nigh  to 
both.'*  Second,  To  relieve  the  poor  is  to  open  to  ourselves  a 
source  of  great  joy  and  satisfaction,  "the  luxury  of  doing  good." 
Third,  The  regard  God  has  for  the  poor;  the  jealousy  he 
entertains  for  their  rights ;  the  vengeance,  therefore,  which  he 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  361 

will  inflict  upon  those  who  neglect  or  oppress  them.  Let  us 
take  care  lest  God  deal  with  us  as  we  deal  with  them ;  lest 
he  show  us  no  mercy,  as  we  show  them  no  mercy. 

Excuses  noticed:  1.  The  poor  deserve  their  suffering; 
brought  to  poverty  in  the  majority  of  cases  by  vice  and 
crime.  Answer  (Ps.  ciii.  10).  2.  Want  of  means.  This  is 
often  not  so  when  pretended.  The  Christian  life  one  of  self- 
denial.  Deeds  of  charity  called  "sacrifices"  in  Heb.  xiii.  16. 
If  we  serve  God  with  that  which  costs  us  nothing,  with  super- 
fluities only,  what  thank  have  we  ?  If  we  have  not  money, 
we  have,  perhaps,  knowledge. 

Introduce  an  allusion  to  the  diligence,  in  this  department, 
of  the  papists.  They  do  it  to  justify  themselves.  We  are  in 
danger  of  neglecting  certain  great  duties  for  fear  of  resem- 
bling those  who  deny  the  grace  of  God.  As  in  this  case,  for 
example,  and  in  mortifying  the  body.     (1  Cor.  ix.  27.) 


' '  The  cloak  that  I  left  at  Troas  with  Carpus,  when  thou  comest,  bring 
with  thee,  and  the  books,  but  especially  the  parchments."— 2  Timothy  iv.  13. 

All  Scripture  is  profitable;  objections  to  inspiration 
founded  upon  the  mention  of  apparently  trivial  circum- 
stances. Such  passages  convey  very  important  lessons. 
The  salutations  in  the  epistles  (see  Rom.  xvi.)  impress  us 
with  a  lively  sense  of  the  love  of  Christians  for  one  another, 
that  love  to  which  our  Saviour  attached  so  much  importance, 
and  which  occupies  so  prominent  a  place  in  his  valedictory 
discourses  to  his  apostles.  So  with  this  passage.  It  was 
made  the  text  of  a  sermon  by  a  bishop  of  the  Church  of 
England  (Bishop  Bull)  on  the  importance  of  education  and 
study  in  the  ministry,  in  answer  to  the  notions  of  the  Quakers 
and  other  fanatical  sects  of  his  day,  who  arranged  themselves 
against  learning  and  study  upon  the  ground  that  the  ministry 
were  to  trust  in  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  here 
is  a  man  who  was  endowed  in  an  eminent  degree  with  the 


362   ■  Miscellanies. 

gift  of  inspiration,  and  yet  he  earnestly  entreats  Timothy  to 
bring  his  books,  but  especially  his  cormnonplace  hooJcs.  The 
argument  is  then  a  fortiori  for  the  importance  of  education 
and  study  in  those  who  do  7wt  possess  the  gift  of  inspiration. 

These  words  have  been  chosen  for  the  purpose  of  illustrat- 
ing the  necessity  of  an  educated  ministry  in  the  church. 
Preliminary  observations  on  the  necessity  of  spiritual  quali- 
fications by  the  Holy  Ghost.  No  man  should  enter  the  min- 
istry without  spiritual  gifts,  for  as  God  alone  can  call  a  min- 
ister, he  alone  can  qualify  him.  "He  alone,"  said  Newton, 
"who  made  the  world  can  make  a  minister."  "Whom  God 
appoints,"  says  M.  Henry,  "he  anoints."  Now  spiritual  gifts 
are  the  spiritual  improvement  of  our  natural  faculties  by 
application  and  study;  but  this  is  not  enough.  We  must 
enjoy  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  to  develop,  enlarge, 
strengthen,  and  sanctify  those  faculties,  or  we  are  totally 
unfit  for  the  responsible  and  honorable  functions  of  the 
sacred  office.  It  is  the  Spirit  who  qualifies  the  messengers 
of  God.  (1  Cor.  xii.  1,  etc.)  Jesus,  the  great  Shepherd,  by 
whom  "the  word  began  to  be  preached"  (Heb.  ii.),  was  quali- 
fied in  this  way  (John  iii.  34;  Isa.  Ixi.  1;  Luke  iv.  17-21), 
and  siirely  the  disciple  is  not  greater  than  his  Master.  A 
man,  therefore,  must,  in  the  first  place,  have  spiritual  grace, 
must  be  called  out  of  darkness  into  God's  marvellous  light ; 
and,  in  the  second  place,  he  must  have  spiritual  gifts. 
Illustrate  by  the  history  of  the  apostles,  the  descent  of  the 
Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

But  this  work  of  the  Spirit  does  not  do  away  with  the 
necessity  of  a  diligent  improvement  of  our  faculties.  Ac- 
cording to  the  definition  given  of  spiritual  gifts  (of  course  we 
speak  of  the  ordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit),  they  presuppose 
fair  natural  gifts.  God  makes  no  minister  of  an  idiot.  Now 
if  God  has  made  his  natural  gifts  in  this  case  the  founda- 
tion of  his  spiritual  endovmients,  why  is  it  not  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  he  intends  us  to  use  the  natural  means  for  the 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  363 

improvement  of  those  gifts,  and  to  make  the  use  of  those 
means  the  way  of  spiritual  improvement?  Heading  and 
study  are  the  natural  means  of  improving  our  intellectual 
faculties,  and  those  are  the  very  means  which  God  has  pre- 
scribed in  order  that  men  may  be  qualified  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry.  (See  Epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus,  passim.) 
To  make  the  promised  assistance  of  the  Spirit  in  any  case  a 
pretext  for  inactivity  is  presumption  and  not  faith.  We 
must  wait  upon  God ;  but  the  only  waiting  which  the  Scrip- 
tures approve  is  a  waiting  in  the  use  of  the  means  which  he 
has  prescribed.  Illustrate  by  the  case  of  a  private  Christian 
who  desires  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  will  of  God.  The 
apostle  says,  "Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly," 
etc.,  and  he  seems  to  speak  as  if  all  that  was  necessary  was 
only  to  let  the  word  come  in  and  dwell.  But  how  is  this 
precept  explained  in  other  places?  Are  we  not  taught  most 
abundantly  that  if  the  word  is  to  dwell  in  us  we  must  dwell 
in  the  word,  live  in  meditation  upon  it?  (John  v.  39;  Ps.  i., 
xix.,  cxix.,  etc.)  Remark  upon  fanatical  pretensions  to  the 
Spirit.  The  Spirit  now  teaches  onl^j  through  the  word,  and 
it  is  impiety  to  pretend  to  any  other  knowledge  of  the  will  of 
God  than  that  which  is  acquired  in  this  way. 

The  apostle  exhorts  Timothy  to  "stir  up  the  gift,"  etc. 
(2  Tim.  i.  6.)  The  word  which  is  rendered  "  stir  up  "  means 
to  cherish  a  fire  by  blowing  it  and  adding  fresh  fuel,  and  the 
allusion  seems  to  be  to  the  fire  in  the  Jewish  temple.  It 
came  originally  from  heaven,  but  was  sustained  by  the  vigil- 
ance and  care  of  the  officers  of  the  temple.  So  a  preacher's 
gifts  come  from  God,  but  they  are  to  be  preserved  and  im- 
proved by  the  utmost  activity  and  diligence  on  his  part. 

Considerations  showing  the  necessity  of  an  educated  minis- 
try :  1.  The  great  business  of  the  preacher  is  to  unfold  the  mean- 
ing of  God's  word  and  to  defend  it  against  the  encroachments 
of  heresy  and  infidelity.  The  Bible  being  written  in  dead  lan- 
guages, a  knowledge  of  those  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  the 


364  Miscellanies. 

expounders  of  the  Bible.  True,  we  have  a  translation,  but 
the  ultimate  appeal  in  controversy  is  to  the  original;  and, 
indeed,  a  knowledge  of  the  original  is  necessary  to  a  full 
appreciation  of  the  force  and  beauty  of  innumerable  passages, 
and  of  course  necessary  to  convey  the  impression  of  their 
force  and  beauty  to  others.  Not  that  Hebrew  and  Greek 
are  to  be  quoted  in  sermons  before  popular  audiences,  for 
upon  principles  of  reason  it  would  be  absurd,  and,  moreover, 
is  condemned  by  those  passages  of  God's  word  which  forbid 
us  to  speak  in  an  unknown  tongue.  One  grand  design  of 
preaching  is  to  animate  the  people  of  God,  the  sacramental 
host  of  his  elect,  in  their  warfare  with  the  powers  of  darkness. 
And  how  are  they  to  prepare  themselves  for  battle  when  the 
trumpet  gives  an  uncertain  sound  ?  It  is  one  of  the  crying 
sins  of  the  chur.ch  of  Rome  that  it  dupes  and  starves  the 
people  with  sounds  signifying  nothing.  But  though  the 
minister  of  Christ  is  not  to  preach  Greek  or  Hebrew,  he  is 
bound  to  preach  the  results  of  critical  investigations  in  those 
languages.  He  is  to  speak  with  the  people  but  to  think  with 
grammarians  and  lexicographers.  2.  But  further,  as  the 
truths  which  are  the  objects  of  knowledge  must  be  viewed 
in  their  relation  to  each  other,  it  is  necessary  that  the  teacher 
of  religion  should  be  able  to  digest  into  a  system  and  present 
as  a  system  the  truths  of  revelation.  Illustrate  the  analogy 
between  philosophy  and  revelation  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  facts  are  revealed.  Induction,  analysis,  arrangement, 
the  order  of  process  in  both  cases.  The  results  are  to  be 
stated  synthetically ;  this  is  the  order  of  teaching.  The  in- 
vestigation must  be  conducted  analytically ;  this  is  the 
order  of  investigation.  In  both  departments  (philosophy 
and  revelation)  the  teacher  must  be  far  superior  to  the 
learner.  An  elementary  book  on  grammar  or  natural  philoso- 
phy may  be  committed  to  memory  by  a  child,  but  to  analyze 
a  language  or  the  phenomena  of  nature,  and  to  digest  the  re- 
sult into  an  elementary  book,  is  the  work  of  a  master-mind. 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  365 

So  in  the  matter  of  theology.  A  compendious  statement  of 
the  doctrines  of  rehgion  in  their  topical  relations  requires 
no  extraordinary  ability  to  comprehend  and  remember ;  but 
to  digest  svich  a  statement  from  an  examination  of  the  Scrip- 
tures does  require  a  cultivated  mind  of  no  ordinary  power. 
To  learn  the  Shorter  Catechism  of  our  church  is  not  above 
the  powers  of  the  merest  child ;  to  frame  that  Catechism  was 
one  of  the  loftiest  triumphs  of  sanctified  genius.  Now,  if  it 
be  the  duty  of  the  minister  to  present  the  trvith  systemati- 
cally (and  his  flock  cannot  be  fed  with  knowledge  and  under- 
standing in  any  other  way),  he  certainly  ought  to  be  educated 
in  the  first  place,  and  then  to  study  with  constancy  and  dili- 
gence. 

Merely  hortatory  preaching,  now  so  inordinately  preva- 
lent, is  condemned  by  reason.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  not 
treating  men  as  men ,  that  is,  as  creatures  of  a  complex  con- 
stitution, possessing  understandings  to  be  instructed,  as  well 
as  hearts  to  be  moved  and  persuaded ;  as  beings  who  are 
from  principle  and  not  from  impulse.  In  the  second  place, 
it  loses  sight  of  the  order  which  God  has  established  in  the 
soul.  He  has  made  the  understanding  the  leading  faculty. 
His  order  is,  that  principle  should  govern  impulse,  that  heat 
should  proceed  from  light.  Hortatory  preaching  deranges 
this  order ;  it  excites  the  energies  of  the  heart,  without  pre- 
viously providing  that  they  should  have  a  right  direction,  and 
consequently,  as  all  our  emotions  act  blindly  in  themselves, 
such  preaching  usually  leads  to  extravagance  and  excess. 
In  the  third  place,  the  effect  of  such  preaching  is,  and  from 
the  very  nature  of  the  case  must  be,  transient  in  its  duration. 
The  diflerence  between  men  of  mere  feeling  and  men  of  prin- 
ciple, is  just  the  difference  between  a  vessel  which  is  impelled 
with  sails,  dependent  for  its  motion  upon  the  variable  winds 
of  heaven,  and  a  vessel  impelled  by  machinery  within  itself. 
The  motion  of  one  is  variable,  inconstant,  and  sometimes 
wholly  intermitted;  the  motion  of  the  other  is  uniform  and 


366  Miscellanies. 

perpetual,  amidst,  external  circumstaDces  tlie  most  change- 
able and  fluctuating. 

2.  But  it  is  also  condemned  by  Scripture.  We  are  com- 
manded to  "speak  as  the  oracles  of  God."  The  apostolic 
method  of  preaching,  as  indicated  by  the  specimens  left 
upon  record,  and  by  their  epistles,  is  doctrine  and  then 
duty,  teaching  and  then  exhortation.  "These  things  teach 
and  exhort."  (1  Tim.  vi.  2.)  Notice  the  prominence  given 
to  doctrine  throughout  the  Epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus. 
This  hortatory  preaching  is  also  virtually  condemned  in  all 
those  passages  in  which  truth  is  spoken  of  as  the  instrument 
of  our  regeneration  and  sanctification,  etc. 

Men  sometimes  attempt  to  excuse  themselves  from  system- 
atic preaching  by  pleading  the  inability  of  the  people  to 
comprehend  it,  and  we  hear  a  great  deal  about  the  danger  of 
"shooting  over  the  heads  of  the  people,"  and  this  leads  me 
to  remark  in  the  third  place : 

3.  That  the  ministry  should  be  an  educated  ministry  on 
account  of  the  general  diffusion  of  education  among  all 
classes.  The  populace  of  Athens  were  excellent  judges  of 
their  own  language,  but  their  taste  and  mental  cultivation 
were  due  mainly  to  their  accomplished  orators,  to  Demos- 
thenes and  the  "finer  democracy"  of  Athens,  who  under 
their  form  of  government  were  continually  before  the  people. 
The  most  popular  political  leaders  are  those  who  combine 
loftiness  and  comprehensiveness  of  thought  with  perspicuity 
and  simplicity  of  language.  It  is  a  common  error  to  under- 
rate the  capacity  of  the  masses,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  minis- 
ters, by  keeping  an  elevated  standard  of  thought  and  feeling 
before  their  people,  to  increase  their  capacity.  Otherwise, 
the  minds  of  the  ministers  themselves  will  be  weakened  and 
degenerate,  and  the  people  dwindle  in  intellectual  stature. 
Like  priest,  like  people. 

4.  But  it  has  been  said  that  the  preacher  is  to  defend  as 
well  as  expound  divine  truth.     Therefore,  he  must  be  edu- 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  367 

cated.  The  diversified  modes  of  attack  upon  religion  require 
a  corresponding  diversity  in  the  methods  of  defence.  The 
importance  of  a  knowledge  of  the  sciences  which  constitute 
the  battle-grounds  of  controversy,  such  as  the  natural  sciences 
generally  and  metaphysics ;  the  importance,  also,  of  a  know- 
ledge of  the  sciences  and  arts  which  constitute  the  weapons 
of  the  controversy,  such  as  logic  and  rhetoric.  If  loe  despise 
these  things  our  enemies  do  not.  The  didactic  subtlety  of  a 
Hume  is  not  to  be  evaded  or  neutralized  by  the  simplicity 
of  a  man  unaccustomed  to  the  discipline  of  the  schools. 
Hence,  learning  may  be  employed  to  the  greatest  advantage 
in  the  service  of  reHgion.  "The  jewels  that  glittered  on  the 
breastplate  of  the  high  priest,"  it  has  been  beautifully  ob- 
served, '-were  spoils  from  the  Egyptians."  The  learning 
which  Moses  acquired  in  the  court  of  Pharaoh  was  a  part  of 
the  furniture  by  which  he  was  fitted  to  be  a  leader  of  the 
chos-Bu  seed.     But  the  subject  is  endless. 

5.  The  importance  of  education  and  learning  to  a  minister 
as  a  casuist.  It  is  often  the  case  that  he  is  called  upon  to 
minister  to  distressed  consciences,  and  in  order  to  do  this 
successfully  he  must  not  only  be  well  acquainted  with  the 
Scriptures,  but  with  the  constitution  of  man,  with  anatomy 
and  physiology  in  some  degree  as  well  as  with  metaphysics. 
He  must  study  the  relations  between  the  spiritual  and  mate- 
rial elements  of  man's  being,  and  their  reciprocal  influence 
on  each  other. 

6.  Argue  the  subject  from  the  history  of  the  church. 
Moses  and  Aaron ;  Aaron  given  as  an  assistant  to  Moses  be- 
cause he  could  "  speak  well "  ("which  is  the  best  definition," 
as  a  great  orator  has  said,  see  J.  Q.  Adams'  Lecture  on 
Eloquence,  "which  has  ever  been  given  of  eloquence").  The 
schools  of  the  prophets  under  the  old  economy— here  are 
men  endowed  with  the  gift  of  inspiration  undergoing  a  regu- 
lar training  for  the  office  of  a  prophet.  The  fact  that  the 
Lord  usually  selected  his  messengers  from  among  educated 


■368  Miscellanies. 

men,  though  he  sometimes  did  otherwise,  as  in  the  case  of 
Amos.  The  retirement  of  John  the  Baptist  before  his  reve- 
lation as  the  forerunner  of  Christ.  The  fact  that  Christ  him- 
self was  found  in  the  temple  among  the  doctors  indicating, 
not  any  want  of  instruction  on  his  part,  but  a  respect  for  the 
authorized  teachers  and  places  of  learning  in  his  day.  The 
apostles,  though  the  greater  part  of  them  were  ignorant  men 
and  chosen  from  the  humble  ranks  of  life,  yet  they  passed 
through  a  three  years'  training  under  the  eye  of  the  Saviour 
himself.  The  learning  of  Paul  and  Luke,  by  whom  the 
greater  part  of  the  New  Testament  was  written.  The  cate- 
chetical schools  of  the  ancient  church.  The  value  set  upon 
learning  by  the  Reformers  in  Germany,  Switzerland,  France 
and  Scotland.  The  value  set  upon  an  educated  ministry  by 
the  fathers  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  this  country.  (See 
Alexander's  Log  College^  The  importance  attached  to  the 
cause  of  education  by  the  pilgrim  fathers — Harvard,  Yale, 
etc.,  sprang  out  of  their  sense  of  the  necessity  for  an  educated 
ministry. 

Inferences :  1.  The  dignity  and  importance  of  the  Chris- 
tian ministry.  Messengers  of  the  Most  High  witnesses  of 
his  truth.  Their  influence  upon  public  opinion ;  upon  the 
tone  of  society.  The  connection  between  divine  truth  and 
civil  liberty.  The  champions  of  the  Reformation  the  authors 
of  civil  liberty.  The  first  republican  constitution  of  modern 
times  framed  by  Calvin.  The  British  constitution  indebted, 
even  by  the  confession  of  Hume,  to  the  Puritans,  to  the 
preaching  of  those  who  were  taught  in  the  school  of  Geneva. 
Rationale  of  this  result.  The  truth  reveals  the  moral  rela- 
tions of  man  in  the  government  of  God.  All  pagan  systems, 
and  the  popish  now,  make  the  individual  nothing,  absorb 
him  in  the  whole;  the  truth  reveals  the  ineffable  value  of 
every  individual  soul.  According  to  the  false  systems  men- 
tioned, man  has  no  relation  to  God  except  as  a  member  of  a 
system.  The  gospel  reveals  that  he  has  immediate,  indi- 
vidual relations  to  his  Maker.     It  is  easy  to  perceive,  there- 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  3G9 

fore,  liow  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  should  result  in  the 
free  institutions  of  modern  times  in  which  the  individual  is 
prominent.  2.  The  necessity  of  prayer,  that  God  would  in- 
crease the  number  of  laborers  in  his  harvest.  The  greater 
the  blessing  the  more  importunate  ought  to  be  the  prayer. 
We  must  look  to  God  for  all  things,  for  he  is  the  giver  of 
every  good  and  perfect  gift,  even  when  they  come  through 
the  channel  of  our  own  diligence,  through  secondary  causes. 
But  in  this  case  we  can  do  nothing  hut  look  to  God;  we  can- 
not make  ministers.  It  is  the  prerogative  of  God  alone  to 
call,  qualify  and  thrust  out  into  his  vineyard.  Unhappy 
tendencies  of  the  age  in  diverting  men's  attention  from  God's 
ordinances.  The  uselessness  of  Bible  societies  without  the 
living  preacher.  This  illustrated  by  the  history  of  colpor- 
tage  in  the  papal  kingdoms  of  Europe.  The  colporteurs  are 
not  only  required  to  be  pious,  but  intelligent  in  the  Scj'ip- 
tures,  capable  of  explaining  the  plan  of  salvation.  The  his- 
tory of  this  movement  affords  a  striking  illustration  of  the 
wisdom  of  God  in  establishing  the  ordinance  of  the  ministry 
in  order  to  call  attention  to  his  word.  The  Lord  foresaw 
that  his  word  would  not  be  read  unless  there  were  an  order 
of  men  set  apart  for  the  purpose  of  calling  attention  to  it. 
The  general  duty  of  prayer,  enforced  particularly  upon  us  by 
the  circumstances  of  our  own  country — rapidly  increasing 
population — general  indifference  to  truth  springing  from  the 
nature  of  our  institutions — the  activity  of  errorists,  etc.,  etc. 


"For  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  to  all 
men,  teaching  us  that,  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world;  looking  for  that 
blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ;  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all 
iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works." 
—Titus  ii.  11-14. 

I.  The  gospel  not  a  barren  speculation ;  has  a  great  prac- 
24 


370  Miscellanies. 

tical  end.  A  plan  of  salvation  by  grace,  and  yet  not  only 
not  destructive  of  the  interests  of  holiness,  but  infallibly 
securing  them.  A  plan  of  salvation  not  from  the  penalty  of 
sin  only  or  even  chiefly,  but  from  the  dominion  of  sin ;  not 
from  hell  without,  but  from  the  hell  within ;  a  salvation  which 
consists  in  lioliness.  Christ  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  man, 
that  man  might  be  re-made  in  the  likeness  of  God.  (See  vs. 
14;  Rom.  xii.  1,  etc.) 

II.  This  great  process  is  at  once  the  work  of  God  and  the 
duty  of  man.  (See  vs.  12,  and  compare  Phil.  ii.  12,  13 ;  2  Cor. 
vii.  1,  and  the  above  cited  place  from  Romans.) 

III.  It  is  wrought  upon  and  in  a  sinner,  who  is  under  the 
influence  of  a  dotihle  law  (Rom.  vii.  and  viii. ;  Gal.  v.  17), 
whose  soul  is  the  battlefield  upon  which  light  and  darkness, 
good  and  evil,  are  contending  for  the  mastery.  Nature  of 
this  conflict,  not  that  complained  of  by  pagan  moralists  and 
poets,  and  by  all  thinking  men,  two  souls.  That  was  a  con- 
test between  different  faculties  of  the  soul;  judgment  and 
conscience  on  the  one  hand,  and  appetite  and  will  on  the 
other.  This  is  a  contest  between  different  and  contradictory 
principles  in  the  same  faculties — between  light  and  darkness 
in  the  understanding,  sin  and  holiness  in  the  will,  etc.  The 
"flesh"  pervades  the  whole  man,  and  the  "Spirit"  pervades 
the  whole  man ;  each  and  all  his  powers  are  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  "law  of  the  Spirit  of  life,"  and  of  the  "law  of  sin 
and  death."  The  habitual  ascendency,  however,  belongs  to 
the  "law  of  the  Spirit "  ;  for  the  promise  is,  "  sin  shall  not  have 
dominion  over  you." 

lY.  This  being  the  case,  the  work  of  growing  in  grace,  of 
sanctification,  the  great  mission  of  a  believer,  consists  of  two 
parts:  (1),  Mortification,  killing,  "denying  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,"  "crucifying  the  old  man''  (2),  Vivification, 
making  alive,  quickening,  invigorating  by  constant  exercise, 
the  new  man,  "living  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this 
present  age."     See  the    same  contrast  in  the   places  above 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  .371 

cited  from  Komans  xii. ;  2  Cor.  vii. ;  Col.  iii.  1-3,  et  viult.  al.\ 
a -process  of  life  and  a  process  of  death. 

V.  The  process  of  death— "  denyiug,"  etc.  (Vs.  12.) 
(1),  "Ungodliness"  to  be  denied.  Difference  between  the 
common  and  the  scriptural  usage  of  this  term.  In  Scripture, 
all  men  without  the  saving  grace  of  the  Spirit  are  called  un- 
godly. It  is  the  essence  of  the  "carnal  mind"  (Eom.  viii.  7; 
and  compare  Eph.  ii.  12)  and  of  sin.  And  behevers  being 
not  yet  free  from  sin  still  have  to  contend  with  and  to  deny 
the  tendency  to  ungodliness.  God  will  not  be  in  all  their 
thoughts  unless  they  are  diligent,  prayerful,  watchful. 

(2),  "Worldly  lusts"  to  be  denied.  (Compare  Kom.  xii. 
2 ;  1  John  ii.  15,  17.)  Connection  between  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts.  The  absence  of  the  sun— darkness,  torpor, 
decay,  death,  putrefaction.  The  violence  of  worldly  lusts  in 
the  "natural man"  is  the  activity  of  vermin  in  a  decomposing 

corpse. 

YI.  The  process  of  life— "live  soberly,"  etc.     (Vs.  12. 

(1),  Kefer  in  general  to  the  division  by  moralists  of  human 
duty  into  the  three  heads  of  duties  to  ourselves,  to  our  fellow- 
men  and  to  God.  This  seems  to  be  the  distribution  of  the 
apostle  in  the  text,  under  a  different  nomenclature ;  duties  to 
ourselves  being  those  implied  in  living  "soberly";  duties  to 
our  fellowmen  in  living  "righteously";  and  duties  to 
God  in  living  "  godly."  A  like  division  is  found  else- 
where in  the  Bible.  The  whole  duty  of  man  is  reduced 
in  the  law  of  Moses  to  ten  "words"  or  commandments,  com- 
monly called  also  the  "moral  law"  and  the  "decalogue." 
These  are  divided  into  the  "two  tables,"  the  first  contain- 
ing our  duty  to  God,  the  second  our  duty  to  man.  The  first 
table  is,  again,  summed  up  by  our  Saviour  in  love  to  God; 
the  second,  in  love  to  ourselves  and  to  our  fellowmen.  And, 
finally,  the  whole  law  as  between  man  and  man  is  summed 
up  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  love :  "Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law."     (Rom.  xiii.  8-10.)     Remark,  in  general,  again,  upon 


372  Miscellanies. 

the  perfect  liarmony  and  consistency  of  all  these  spheres  of 
duty.  God  knows  man,  and  has  never  commanded  him  to 
do  things  which  conflict  with  each  other.  He  has  never 
placed  his  creatures  under  the  necessity  of  neglecting  one 
command  while  they  are  performing  another.  There  are  no 
such  things  as  Scylla  and  Charybdis  in  the  great  concern  of 
living  a  life  of  obedience  unto  God.  It  is  a  slander  of  our 
own  bad  hearts  and  of  the  devil,  who  was  a  liar  and  a  mur- 
derer from  the  beginning,  that  God  is  a  hard  master,  gather- 
ing where  he  has  not  strewed,  and  demanding  bricks  without 
straw.  These  different  classes  of  duties  are  so  many  concen- 
tric circles,  of  which  man,  the  subject,  is  the  centre ;  and  every 
act  he  performs  is  a  radius,  alike  of  all  crossing  and  extending 
beyond  the  innermost,  and  reaching  to  the  outermost  circum- 
ference of  his  being  and  his  activity.  And  this  will  appear 
with  exceeding  clearness  before  we  have  finished  consider- 
ing these  circles  in  detail. 

One  remark  more  of  a  general  kind,  and  that  is,  that  this 
great  moral  law  is  the  rule  of  God's  whole  government  over 
intelligent  creatures,  over  angels  and  the  inhabitants  of  all 
worlds.  The  relations  of  angels  to  one  another  differ  very 
widely,  no  doubt,  from  the  relations  of  men  to  one  another, 
and  few  men  sustain  all  the  relations  to  other  men  which  can 
be  sustained ;  and  hence  love  is  manifested  in  different  ways. 
But  the  law  of  love  is  a  universal  law.  The  moral  law  is  like 
the  fabled  tent  in  the  Arabian  Nights,  so  small  as  to  be 
capable  of  being  held  in  a  man's  hand,  and  yet  capable  of 
being  so  expanded  as  to  cover  great  armies,  the  inhabitants 
of  earth  and  the  hosts  of  heaven.  Its  simple  announcement 
carries  along  with  it  the  evidence  that  it  sprang  from  the 
bosom  of  God,  as  its  application  demonstrates  it  to  be  the 
harmony  of  the  world. 

Now  for  the  particulars:  First,  "We  should  live  soberly," 
that  is,  as  has  been  explained,  we  are  to  "  take  heed  to  our- 
selves," to  perform  all  those  duties  which  concern  our   own 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  378 

improvement  and  our  highest  happiness  as  individuals,  as 
moral  and  immortal  personalities.  We  are  to  "love  our- 
selves." And  in  order  to  understand  this  statement,  I  will 
notice  the  two  extremes  of  error,  between  which  this  great 
doctrine  of  duty  lies. 

There  are  those  that  tell  us  that  all  self-love  is  sinful,  that 
it  is  the  very  essence  of  sin ;  and  that  holiness  consists  in 
thinking  not  at  all  of  ourselves,  and  in  pouring  out  all  the 
treasures  of  our  love  upon  God  and  our  fellowmen.  This  is 
the  theory  of  "disinterested  benevolence,"  the  germ  of  which 
is  to  be  found  even  in  so  great  a  writer  and  so  eminent  a  man 
of  God  as  Jonathan  Edwards  unquestionably  was,  thougli 
he  would  have  been  grieved  and  shocked  at  the  use  which 
was  made  of  it  after  he  had  gone  to  his  reward.  In  defence 
of  this  theory  it  is  alleged  that  the  great  law  of  human  life  is 
self-denial ;  that  our  Saviour  and  all  good  men  lived  accord- 
ing to  this  law,  denying  themselves  constantly  and  hving  for 
the  good  of  others;  that  Moses  was  willing  that  his  own 
name  should  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  life  to  save  the 
people  of  whom  he  was  the  leader;  that  Paul  could  wish 
himself  accused  for  his  brethren's  sake ;  that  from  the  nature 
of  the  case  no  creature  should  prefer  his  own  happiness  to 
the  glory  of  the  Creator,  and,  therefore,  that  every  man  should 
be  willing  to  die  and  be  damned  for  the  glory  of  God,  etc. 

Now,  in  answer  to  all  these  plausibilities,  I  remark :  First, 
That  it  is  vain,  and  impious  as  well  as  vain,  to  argue  against 
the  very  constitution  of  our  nature.  The  instinct  which 
prompts  us  to  seek  our  own  happiness  is  not  only  the  strong- 
est, but  it  is  one  of  the  original  instincts  of  our  nature.  It  is 
not  a  propensity  of  our  fallen  nature  as  fallen,  but  belonged 
to  our  nature  as  it  came  from  the  hands  of  God.  Now,  the 
voice  of  our  original  constitution  is  the  voice  of  God.  And 
it  is  his  vjill  that  we  should  love  ourselves.  Second,  The 
same  will  of  God  is  just  as  clearly  expressed  in  his  blessed 
word.     Notice  the  language  of  the  law :  "  Love  they  neighbor 


374  Miscellanies. 

&^  thyself y  "Do  unto  others  as  je  would  they  should  do 
■unto  you.''  The  appeal  constantly  made  to  men's  love  of 
happiness  in  the  Bible.  One  great  quarrel  of  God  with  men, 
that  they  will  not  seek  their  true  happiness,  that  they  vrong 
their  oivn  souls.  The  great  end  for  which  Christ  came  was 
to  glorify  God  in  the  salvation  of  sinners  from  their  guilt  and 
misery,  and  to  exalt  them  to  a  condition  of  everlasting  glory 
and  felicity.  Third,  As  to  the  law  of  self-denial,  and  the 
example  of  the  Saviour  and  his  followers,  show  the  true 
meaning  of  all  this — that  it  was  all  done  in  view  of  the  "joy 
that  was  set  before  them."  When  we  talk  of  the  happiness 
of  a  man,  we  must  take  in  the  whole  compass  of  his  being, 
and  its  eternal  duration,  as  well  as  his  present  sinful,  suffer- 
ing state ;  and  even  here  self-denial  for  Christ's  sake  is  hap- 
piness. As  to  the  cases  of  Moses  and  Paul,  Moses'  prayer 
is  simply  that  he  might  die,  and  Paul  is  to  be  understood 
either,  (1),  As  stating  what  he  once  wished  (in  his  uncon- 
verted state),  or,  (2),  As  expressing  the  suffering  he  was  willing 
to  undergo  for  his  brethren. 

(2),  The  other  extreme  is  that  of  selfishness,  making  self 
the  centre  around  which  everything  is  made  to  revolve.  The 
word  "soberly"  and  its  conjugates  are  favorites  with  Paul. 
He  uses  them  five  times  in  this  short  chapter.  The  idea  of 
sober-mindedness  is  that  of  soundness  of  mind  {sana  mens.) 
Expand  and  illustrate  Bishop  Butler's  illustration  of  a  watch 
as  a  constltiituni. 

The  importance  of  this  thing  indicated  by  its  being  put 
first.  "First  make  the  tree  good,"  etc.  (Matt.  xii.  33.)  Un- 
less a  man  is  sober-minded,  he  can  neither  live  "right- 
eously" nor  "godly." 

Second,  "Righteously" — duty  to  our  neighbor.  This  duty 
may  be  distributed  into  three  branches — truth,  justice,  and 
benevolence.  (Bishop  Butler's  "  Dissertations  on  the  Nature 
of  Virtue,"  Works,  Vol.  I.,  p.  395.)  See  Paul's  statement  in 
Ephesians  v.  9,  the  "golden  rule."  (Butler's  Sermons,  S.  12, 
Works,  Vol.  II.,  pp.  141  ff.) 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  375 

Third,  "Godly" — duties  to  God — duties  which  have  God 
as  their  hnmediate  object;  otherwise,  all  our  duties  are  duties 
we  owe  to  God.     Examples — faith,  repentance,  worship,  etc. 

VII.  The  scene  of  this  work — "this  present  world."  Diffi- 
culties and  discouragements.  The  Christian,  however,  sus- 
tained by  hope. 

VIII.  The  hope  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord  (verse  13). 
This  hope  a  "blessed"  one,  because  {a),  He  whose  coming 
is  hoped  for  is  the  "great  God  and  Saviour,"  who  is  able  to 
do  for  us  exceeding  abundantly,  above  all  that  we  can  ask  or 
think,  and  (b),  One  design  of  his  coming  is  to  finish  his  work. 
(See  verse  14.)  The  grand  purpose  of  his  first  advent  and  of 
his  giving  himself  for  us  was  that  he  might  redeem  us  from 
all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  "peculiar  people" 
{i.  e.,  a  pecxdium,  a  treasure  of  his  own  (see  Exodus  xix.  5, 
to  which  passage,  no  doubt,  the  apostle  alludes),  "zealous 
of  good  works." 

IX.  Application.  (1),  The  practical  character  jof  the 
gospel.  See  such  passages  as  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
specially  the  conclusion  (Matt.  vii.  24-27),  and  Matt.  xxv. 
31-46,  (2),  "Living  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,"  the 
only  satisfactory  proof  that  we  have  been  made  partakers  of 
"the  grace  that  bringeth  salvation." 


"Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Sou  of  God,  God  dwelleth 
In  him,  and  he  in  God." — 1  John  iv.  15. 

Our  minds  should  be  always  pervaded  vrith  feelings  of 
reverence  and  awe  when  we  contemplate  the  being  and  attri- 
butes of  God.  So  august  is  his  greatness,  so  unsearchable 
his  glory,  so  terrible  his  majesty,  and  so  fearful  his  praises, 
that  the  angels  who  excel  in  strength,  whose  native  element 
is  celestial  light,  are  unable  to  endure  the  unveiled  splendor 
of  his  perfections.  They  hide  their  faces  from  the  intoler- 
able brightness,  while  they  celebrate  the  praises  of  his  holi- 


376  Miscellanies. 

ness :  "  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  God  of  hosts ;  the  whole 
earth  is  full  of  his  glory." 

Every  revelation  of  the  character  of  God,  however  obscure 
and  ill-defined,  should  teach  us  our  own  insignificance  and 
littleness,  and  excite  in  us  emotions  of  the  profoundest 
humility  and  fear.  The  splendors  of  day,  the  enchanting 
beauties  of  the  night,  the  thunders  of  heaven,  and  the  im- 
mensity of  the  ocean,  are  all  adapted  to  inspire  lofty  concep- 
tions of  our  Maker,  and  to  extort  the  exclamation  of  the 
psalmist,  "Lord,  what  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him, 
or  the  son  of  man  that  thou  visitest  him?"  These  are  the 
feelings  which  become  us  who  have  our  foundations  in  the 
dust,  and  dwell  in  houses  of  clay,  when  we  rise  to  the  contem- 
plation of  him  in  whose  eyes  the  heavens,  the  chosen  abode 
of  his  blessedness,  are  unclean,  and  who  charges  the  angels 
with  folly.  These  are  the  feelings  which  should  naturally 
arise  even  when  we  gaze  upon  the  beauties  of  the  material 
universe.  But  how  should  they  be  increased  in  depth  and 
intensity  when  we  open  the  Scriptures  of  truth,  and  there 
behold  his  transcendent  glory !  If  we  were  before  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  our  littleness  and  insignificance,  our  baseness 
and  vileness,  what  are  now  the  emotions  which  should  agitate 
our  breasts!  Before,  we  stood  upon  the  pavement  of  the 
temple,  or  in  its  spacious  porch,  admiring,  indeed,  its 
gigantic  proportions,  but  unable  to  penetrate  the  darkness 
which  seemed  to  fill  the  interior ;  but  now  we  are  admitted 
within  its  walls,  explore  its  most  secret  recesses,  and  behold 
the  imposing  splendor  of  the  Shekinah  itself.  Before,  we 
stood  at  the  base  of  the  mountain  of  God,  awed  and  sub- 
dued by  the  exhibitions  of  his  majesty,  the  lightning  and 
thunder  and  tempest  and  smoke,  and  removed  the  shoes 
from  our  feet ;  now  we  ascend  into  the  midst  of  the  glory, 
are  admitted  into  the  immediate  presence  of  the  King  of 
heaven,  and  hold  communion  with  him  face  to  face.  It  is  in 
this  way  that  the  Scriptures  are  calculated  to  affect  us.     But 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  377 

even  in  them  we  do  not  approach  the  Almighty  with  the 
same  degree  of  nearness  in  all  their  revelations,  and  conse- 
quently are  not  equally  impressed  by  them  all.  Some  por- 
tions of  them  reveal  the  divine  operations,  while  others  unfold 
to  us  the  mysteries  of  the  divine  existence.  It  is  in  the 
latter  class  of  revelations  that  we  make  the  nearest  approach 
to  the  King  invisible.  Here,  indeed,  is  the  thick  darkness 
where  God  dwells;  and  here,  too,  those  feelings  which  we 
have  shown  to  become  us  when  'we  contemplate  his  glory 
should  be  most  powerfully  excited.  Here,  indeed,  we  feel 
that  we  are  "nothing,  and  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity." 
"I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but  now 
mine  eye  seeth,  wherefore  I  abhor  myself  and  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes." 

All  these  remarks  apply  with  peculiar  force  and  propriety 
to  the  doctrine  involved  in  the  text,  the  eternal  generation, 
according  to  his  divine  nature,  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ.  In  contemplating  this  truth  we  embark  upon 
the  abyss  of  the  divine  existence,  and  it  becomes  us,  there- 
fore, to  maintain  a  deep  and  abiding  conviction  of  our  own 
blindness  and  ignorance  and  to  have  our  hearts  constantly 
directed  to  that  blessed  Spirit  who  alone  is  able  to  guide 
and  preserve  us.  It  is  his  office  to  glorify  the  Son;  to  "take 
the  things  of  Christ  and  show  them  unto  us,"  and  he  will  not 
reject  the  prayer  of  those  who  call  upon  the  Father  of  lights. 

It  may  possibly  be  said,  that  if  the  subject  is  so  profoundly 
obscure ;  if  it  is  shrouded  in  such  thick  darkness  and  baffles 
the  keenest  and  most  penetrating  research  of  created  intelli- 
gence, it  is  useless  to  discuss  it  at  all.  What  advantage  is 
there  in  groping  without  light,  in  tossing  upon  a  sea  whose 
bottom  no  mortal  can  reach?  The  answer  is  obvious:  "All 
Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitablo 
for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  instruction  in  righteousness, 
that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished 
unto  every  good  work."     Whatever,  therefore,  God  has  re- 


378  Miscellanies, 

vealed  he  liatli  revealed  for  our  learning,  and  to  say  that  it  is 
dangerous  or  unprofitable  to  investigate  any  portion  of  that 
revelation  is  to  impeach  the  wisdom  and  the  veracity  of 
God.  It  is  a  part  of  the  policy  of  the  devil  to  dissuade  men 
as  much  as  possible  from  the  study  of  the  word  of  God ;  and 
if  he  cannot  secure  a  total  neglect  of  its  disclosures,  his  de- 
lusions will  sometimes  be  so  successfully  employed  as  to  pre- 
vent certain  parts  of  it  from  receiving  that  careful  investiga- 
tion which  the  interests  of  men  imperiously  demand,  and 
which  their  own  inherent  sublimity  entitles  them  to  receive. 
Now  it  is  important  to  observe  that  these  very  mysteries 
which  the  devil  would  persuade  men  to  overlook  are  the 
facts  which  constitute  the  foundation  of  our  faith  and  the 
pillars  of  our  hope.  Such  are  mysteries  of  the  eternal,  un- 
derived  existence  of  God,  the  basis  of  every  possible  system 
of  religion ;  the  tri-personal  subsistence  of  the  divine  essence, 
without  which  the  economy  of  redemption  never  could  have 
been  devised  or  executed  or  administered.  The  sovereign 
and  unchangeable  predestination  of  all  events  from  eternity, 
without  which  the  world  is  under  the  dominion  of  chance, 
that  is,  under  no  government  at  all  or  subject  to  the  idle  in- 
spection of  an  epicurean  divinity.  The  operations  of  the 
Spirit  upon  the  souls  of  men,  without  which  they  must  for- 
ever remain  "dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  Such  are  some 
of  the  disclosures  of  the  Scriptures  which  form  the  very  basis 
of  our  hope,  and  which  have  for  that  very  reason  been  most 
firmly  and  obstinately  assailed  by  the  prince  of  darkness  and 
his  children  in  the  world,  who,  like  him,  love  darkness  rather 
than  light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil.  And  their  encroach- 
ments have  not  seldom  been  made  in  the  manner  which  I 
have  described.  With  apparently  profound  reverence  for 
the  Scriptures  and  exemplary  diffidence  in  their  own  powers, 
they  would  persuade  us  to  pass  over  the  mysteries  and  de- 
vote our  whole  attention  to  the  beautiful  and  perfect  system 
of  morality  which  the  Scriptures  contain.     Here,  say  they,  is 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  379 

sometliing  practical  and  tangible,  something  which  has  an 
obvious  and  immediate  bearing  upon  the  life.  Descend, 
therefore,  from  your  transcendental  and  cloudy  elevation, 
abandon  the  barren  heights  of  unintelligible  mystery,  and 
cultivate  the  valleys,  the  less  pretending  but  more  useful 
duties  of  morality.  Those,  however,  are  the  suggestions  of 
him  who  was  a  murderer  and  a  liar  from  the  beginning,  and 
as  we  love  the  name  of  God,  revere  the  authority  of  his 
word,  or  regard  the  best  interest  of  our  own  souls,  we  should 
reject  them  with  horror  and  indignation. 

But  another  objection  is  brought  against  the  discussion  of 
this  doctrine,  founded  not  upon  its  incomprehensibility,  but 
upon  its  alleged  want  of  importance.  The  Socinians,  especi- 
ally, who  spend  their  lives  in  the  endeavor  to  subvert  the  faith 
of  the  church  by  bringing  into  contempt  the  foundation  upon 
which  that  faith  reposes,  the  doctrine  concerning  the  person 
of  Christ,  are  anxious  to  persuade  us  that  it  is  an  idle  waste 
of  thought  to  study  a  subject  of  such  very  trifling  import- 
ance ;  a  subject  about  which  a  man  may  entertain  any  opin- 
ion he  pleases  without  incurring  the  slightest  risk  of  damna- 
tion. The  character  of  the  messenger,  they  say,  is  a  matter 
of  very  little  consequence ;  it  is  with  the  message  that  we  are 
chiefly  concerned.  But  we  answer,  in  the  first  place,  that 
their  conduct  presents  a  strange  and  striking  contrast  to 
those  declarations.  If  the  doctrine  concerning  the  person  of 
our  Saviour  is  so  unimportant,  why  do  they  suffer  their  tran- 
quillity to  be  disturbed  by  the  faithful  proclamation  of  it  by 
his  chosen  servants?  Why  not  suffer  his  divinity  to  be  as- 
serted and  defended  without  making  any  opposition?  Why 
should  they  descend  from  that  enviable  position  to  which 
their  philosophy  has  raised  them,  from  which  they  are 
"greeted  with  goodly  prospects  and  melodious  sounds  on 
every  side,"  to  disturb  themselves  with  the  "errors,  wander- 
ing mists,  and  tempests  in  the  vale  below"?  Why  have  they 
laid  under  contribution  all  the  resources  of  logic,  metaphys- 


380  Miscellanies. 

ics,  and  criticism,  and  exhausted  all  the  artillery  of  wit  and 
ridicule  to  demolish  a  doctrine  so  insignificant  and  harm- 
less? Surely  Servetus  and  Socinus,  Priestley  and  Belsham, 
have  endured  all  the  anxiety  of  controversy  and  all  the  mor- 
tification of  defeat  with  a  laudable  exemption  from  the  influ- 
ence of  mercenary  considerations.  They  looked  for  no  ad- 
vantage which  might  reward  them  for  their  diligence  and 
zeal,  for  their  anxious  days  and  sleepless  nights,  for  their 
weariness  of  body  and  exhaustion  of  mind,  but  the  dissolu- 
tion of  a  bubble  with  which  the  Christian  world  seemed  most 
foolishly  and  preposterously  pleased.  They  have  lashed  the 
ocean  into  a  storm  to— drown  a  fly!  When,  therefore,  we 
turn  from  their  professions  to  their  conduct,  we  become  es- 
tablished in  our  conviction  of  the  transcendent  importance 
of  this  glorious  subject.  They  would  not  manifest  in  their 
discussions  of  it  such  untiring  zeal  if  it  did  not  possess  in 
the  Christian  scheme  a  prominent  and  conspicuous  position. 
The  devil  would  not  squander  all  his  resources  upon  the 
siege  of  an  insignificant  outpost  of  the  territory  of  light.  He 
knows  that  this  is  the  strongest  citadel  of  all ;  that  in  which 
the  glory  of  the  Godhead  is  chiefly  concerned,  in  which  all 
the  hopes  of  the  Christian  are  concentrated,  and  by  which 
his  own  dominion  will  be  finally  destroyed.  Hence  the  zeal, 
activity,  and  perseverance  with  which  he  animates  his  serv- 
ants. 

I  answer,  in  the  second  place,  that  it  is  not  true  that  the 
person  of  the  messenger  is  unimportant,  because  he  is  the 
grand  and  absorbing  subject  of  the  message.  They  say  that 
the  message  is  the  proper  object  of  our  study,  and  yet  the 
whole  message  is  taken  up  with  the  person  of  the  messenger, 
or  with  the  statement  of  facts  and  principles  of  which  he 
constitutes  the  only  foundation.  The  epistles  of  the  apostles 
are  full  of  expressions  of  the  most  ardent  afi^ection  for  Christ. 
Paul  counted  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  desiring  to  be  "found 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  381 

in  him,  not  having  his  own  righteousness,  which  was  of  the 
law,  but  that  which  was  throvigh  the  faith  of  Christ,  the 
righteousness  which  was  of  God  by  faith."  He  knew  in 
whom  he  had  beheved,  and  was  persuaded  that  he  was  able 
to  keep  that  which  he  had  committed  to  him  against  that 
day.  The  Christians  of  the  dispersion  were  supported  under 
tne  pressure  of  their  manifold  temptations  by  the  ardor  and 
intensity  of  their  love  to  him  whom  they  had  not  seen  but 
by  the  eye  of  faith ;  and  if  any  man  can  read  the  valedictory 
discourses  of  our  Saviour,  recorded  in  the  Gospel  of  John, 
and  see  no  importance  in  his  person,  his  blindness  is  .deeply 
to  be  deplored.  The  principal  topic  of  consolation  which  he 
presents  to  his  disciples,  involved  in  sorrow  on  account  of 
his  approaching  departure,  is  the  union — the  real,  glorious, 
and  indissoluble,  though  mysterious  and  incomprehensible, 
union — which  existed  between  them :  "I  am  the  vine,  ye  are 
the  branches."  "  The  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,"  he  says 
to  the  Father,  "I  have  given  them,  that  they  may  be  one, 
even  as  we  are  one :  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they 
may  be  made  perfect  in  me."  Here  is  the  foundation  of  the 
whole  temple  of  grace ;  the  spring  of  all  spiritual  life ;  the 
pillar  upon  which  the  hope  of  the  believer  reposes,  secure 
against  all  the  machinations  of  sin,  and  impregnable  against 
the  assaults  of  hell.  We  enjoy  a  personal  union  with  him 
who  is  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person ;  with  him  by  whom  all  things  are  cre- 
ated, whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principali- 
ties, or  powers.  We  are  one  with  him,  are  clothed  in  his 
glorious  righteousness,  animated  by  his  Spirit,  partakers  of 
his  holiness ;  and  shall  one  day  be  assessors  with  him  in  his 
throne.  Is  there  a  man  whose  bosom  does  not  burn  with  a 
holy  indignation  when  the  person  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  re- 
proached ;  who  does  not  feel  personally  offended  when  the 
majesty  of  his  name  is  blasphemed,  or  the  riches  of  his  grace 
disregarded  ?     Is  there  a  man  who  does  not  feel  that  all  his 


382  Miscellanies. 

fairest  hopes  are  blasted,  and  his  most  glorious  anticipations 
destroyed,  if  Jesus  be  not  the  Son  of  God?  Is  there  a  man 
who  does  not  love  the  person  of  Christ  with  a  fervor  which 
no  other  object  can  ever  excite,  and  who  does  not  look  for- 
ward to  everlasting  communion  with  him  as  the  consumma- 
tion of  all  his  hopes  and  the  fulfilment  of  all  his  aspirations? 
That  man  is  still  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the  bond'  of 
iniquity.  He  lies  under  the  terrible  condemnation  of  those 
whom  the  apostle,  in  the  text,  excludes  by  implication  from 
all  share  in  the  only  true  rest  of  the  soul — communion  and 
fellowshijD  with  God.  "Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God;" 
and  whosoever  doth  not  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God, 
God  dwelleth  not  in  him,  nor  he  in  God.  The  Son  is  the 
glory  of  the  Father;  his  elect,  in  whom  is  all  his  delight;  and 
signal,  therefore,  will  be  the  vengeance  inflicted  upon  the 
man  who  does  not  look  upon  the  Son  as  all  his  salvation  and 
all  his  desire. 

The  discussion  of  this  subject,  therefore,  profoundly  mys- 
terious as  it  is,  must  be  profitable.  The  mind  cannot  be 
engaged,  with  a  proper  spirit,  in  so  noble  a  contemplation 
without  being  elevated  and  expanded.  It  is  one  of  the  dis- 
tinguishing excellencies  of  faith  that  it  transforms  the  soul 
into  the  image  of  the  truths  it  contemplates ;  and  this  trans- 
forming energy  is  exerted  in  the  greatest  degree  when  the 
soul  is  engaged  in  meditations  upon  the  mysteries  which  are 
the  most  profound  and  unsearchable;  upon  the  mysteries 
which  belong  to  the  being  and  personality  of  God.  "God, 
who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  [or  perso?i]  of  Jesus  Christ." 

In  presenting  this  subject,  I  shall  endeavor  to  show  that 
the  Jews  expected  the  Messiah  as  the  Son  of  God ;  that  the 
grand  design  of  our  Saviour  himself,  during  his  personal 
ministry  upon  earth,  was  to  establish  the  doctrine  of  his  own 


Othee  Sermons  and  Briefs.  383^ 

proper  sonship ;  and  that  the  same  doctrine  was  the  burden 
of  the  preaching  and  writing  of  the  apostles. 

That  the  Jews  expected  the  Messiah  as  the  Son  of  God  will 
be  evident  from  an  examination  of  the  Old  Testament,  which 
points,  in  all  its  types  and  all  its  predictions,  to  his  appear- 
ance on  earth. 


"  But,  beloved,  be  not  ignorant  of  this  one  thing,  that  one  day  is  with 
the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one  day.  The  Lord 
is  not  slack  concerning  his  promise  as  some  men  count  slackness:  but  is 
longsuffering  to  us-ward,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all 
should  come  to  repentance." — 2  Peter  iii.  8,  9. 

I  HAVE  on  former  occasions  endeavored  to  explain  to  you, 
my  brethren,  the  true  nature  of  that  blessed  hope  of  the  glo- 
rious appearing  of  our  great  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ; 
that  hope  which  has  sustained  the  patience  of  the  church 
through  many  generations  of  relentless  persecution,  and 
served  as  an  anchor  sure  and  steadfast,  by  which  she  has 
been  able  to  ride  in  safety  through  innumerable  and  appall- 
ing tempests  of  fire  and  blood.  We  have  seen  that  this  com- 
ing of  the  Lord  is  not  his  coming  at  the  hour  of  death ;  nor 
his  coming  in  the  overwhelming  visitations  of  his  providence, 
attended  by  the  visible  ministers  of  his  vengeance,  by  War  with 
his  garments  rolled  in  blood,  and  Pestilence  with  his  poisoned 
arrows,  and  Famine  blowing  mildew  and  desolation  from  his 
shrivelled  lips;  nor  eminently,  as  many  would  have  it,  his 
coming  to  destroy  apostate  Jerusalem,  whose  inhabitants 
had  mocked,  scourged,  spit  upon,  and  crucified  him.  We 
have  seen  that  this  coming  is  not  his  coming  to  the  heart  of 
a  sinner  by  the  still  small  voice  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  call  him 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God,  nor  his  coming  on  a  grander  scale,  in  extensive,  power- 
ful and  genuine  revivals  of  religion,  as  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, to  make  the  word,  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  mighty, 
through  God,  to  the  pulling  down  of  strongholds,  to  the  sub- 


384  Miscellanies. 

J  ligation  of  rebellious  men,  to  the  prostration  of  every  proud 
thought  and  every  lofty  imagination,  and  the  bringing  of  the 
•whole  soul  in  captivity  to  his  obedience.  In  all  these  events 
the  agency  of  Christ  is  concerned;  in  all  these  events  he 
makes  himself  visible  to  the  eye  of  faith,  and  affords  fresh 
demonstrations  of  the  perpetual  sleepless  vigilance  which  he 
exercises  over  all  whom  the  Father  gave  to  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  for  whom  he  poured  out  his  precious 
blood  like  water,  and  in  whose  behalf  he  has  gone  wdth  the 
same  blood  into  the  holiest  of  all.  But  none  of  these  events 
fulfils  the  conditions  of  his  second  coming,  which  is  to  be  vis- 
ible to  the  eyes  of  all,  even  to  those  who  are  sunk  in  the  pro- 
foundest  stupidity,  who  are  fast  asleep  in  the  arms  of  wealth, 
pleasure,  or  ambition,  and  are  muttering  in  their  dreams, 
"Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming?"  No  man  will  need 
say  to  his  neighbor,  lo !  here !  or  lo !  there !  biit  suddenly,  as 
the  soaring  eagle  pounces  upon  his  prey ;  universally,  as  the 
lightning's  flash  which  shineth  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the 
■other ;  audibly,  as  the  war  of  seven  thunders  and  the  noise 
of  many  waters ;  terribly,  as  an  army  with  banners,  will  the 
insulted  majesty  of  the  Son  be  revealed  to  a  world  lying  in 
wickedness  and  singing  songs  of  congratulation,  of  peace  and 
safety  to  itself.  These  heavens  above  us  which  now  smile 
so  benignantly  upon  the  pursuits  and  pleasures  of  sinful 
men  shall  gather  midnight  darkness,  and  pass  away  with  a 
great  noise ;  that  glorious  luminary  of  day,  which  for  thou- 
sands of  years  has  been  accomplishing  his  appointed  revolu- 
tions, which  for  generation  after  generation  has  been  a  wit- 
ness to  men,  by  the  brightness  of  his  beams,  of  the  splendid 
hohness  of  him  who  is  Light,  and  in  whom  is  no  darkness  at 
all,  and  by  the  unvarying  uniformity  of  his  obedience  to  the 
law  of  his  Creator  a  witness  against  men  of  their  obstinate 
rebellion,  shall  be  turned  into  darkness.  The  milder  queen 
of  night,  who  after  her  nobler  consort  has  gone  to  rest  takes 
up  the  wondrous  tale  of  the  Creator's  glory ;  who  has  wit- 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  385 

nessed  so  many  deeds  of  darkness,  villainy,  and  blood  wbich 
skulked  from  the  light  of  day,  has  looked  so  calmly  into  the 
face  of  murdered  innocence,  and  gleamed  its  struggling  rays 
into  so  many  caves  and  dens,  holes  and  dungeons,  where  de- 
fenceless chastity  has  been  deflowered,  or  reeking  lust  has 
revelled,  or  the  cries  of  the  oppressed  have  failed  to  move  the 
heart  of  tyranny  and  cruelty ;  that  moon  shall  be  turned  into 
blood,  and  her  attendant  stars  shall  fall  as  untimely  figs 
from  their  parent  tree  when  shaken  by  a  mighty  wind.  The 
earth  itself,  which  has  been  so  long  the  theatre  of  rebellion, 
blasphemy  and  rebuke,  which  has  so  long  groaned  under  the 
burden  of  a  Saviour's  blood,  and  the  intolerable  load  of  human 
guilt,  and  longing  for  deliverance  from  its  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion, and  admission  into  the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God,  shall  be 
melted  in  a  furnace  of  fire.  And  think  you,  my  brethren,  that 
any  human  soul  can  be  ignorant  that  the  Saviour  has  come, 
in  the  midst  of  scenes  like  these?  Is  there  any  darkness  or 
shadow  of  death  where  the  workers  of  iniquity  will  be  able 
to  hide  themselves  from  the  eyes  of  him  who  cometh  in  the 
glory  of  his  Father  and  the  holy  angels?  Howa^vful  will  be 
the  pillar  of  cloud  upon  which  he  shall  sit  enthroned,  shin- 
ing as  brilliantly  and  beneficently  as  ever  upon  those  who 
loved  him  and  looked  for  him,  but  presenting  an  aspect  of 
horrible  gloom  and  darkness,  with  lightnings  playing  upon 
its  bosom,  to  those  who  rejected  and  despised  him!  How 
startling  the  shout  which  rends  the  heavens  and  awakes  the 
dead;  how  harrowing  the  voice  of  the  archangel  and  the 
trump  of  God,  which,  rising  above  the  war  of  the  tempest 
and  the  noise  of  dissolving  and  flying  worlds,  shall  proclaim 
the  advent  of  the  avenging  Judge!  When  he  was  on  earth, 
"a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief,"  the  meek  and 
lowly  Lamb  of  God,  many  who  heard  his  voice  and  witnessed 
the  effects  of  his  tender  compassion  for  the  miserable  and  the 
lost,  knew  not  that  he  was  here.  When  he  stood  before 
the  tribunal  of  the  Roman  magistrate,  clothed  in  a  robe  of 
25 


386  Miscellanies. 

purple,  with  a  crown  of  thorns  upon  his  head,  and  a  reeden 
sceptre  in  his  hands,  meekly  enduring  the  buffeting  and 
scourging,  the  scoffs  and  jeers,  the  mocking  homage  and  cruel 
insults  of  his  foes,  they  knew  not  that  he  was  here.  But  will 
men  not  know  when  he  comes  again  ?  Will  they  not  know 
him  when  they  see  him  divested  of  the  veil  of  humiliation, 
clothed  in  robes  made  purple  in  the  winepress  of  the  fierce- 
ness and  wrath  of  God,  with  many  crowns  of  glory  on  his 
head,  and  the  sceptre  of  universal  empire  in  his  hands  ? 
Will  they  not  know  him  when  those  legions  of  angels  whom 
he  restrained  when  a  prisoner  upon  earth  shall  be  loosed 
and  allowed  to  execute  his  long-treasured  vengeance  upon  the 
enemies  of  his  grace?  "Behold!  he  cometli  with  clouds," 
etc.  (Rev.  i.  5.)  "Ye  men  of  Galilee,"  etc.  (Acts  i.)  "To 
you  who  are  troubled,  rest  with  us,"  etc.  (2  Thess.  i.)  This  is 
that  coming  of  the  Lord  which  constitutes  the  burden  of  the 
promises  to  the  church  which  ravished  the  hearts  of  patriarchs, 
prophets  and  apostles,  which  lifts  up  oiir  heads,  my  breth- 
ren, and  wipes  the  tears  from  our  eyes,  and  put  songs  into  our 
mouths,  and  this  is  the  promise  which  the  apostle  in  the  text 
affirms  that  God  will  not  be  slack  to  perform.  "The  Lord  is 
not  slack  concerning  his  promise,"  etc. 

II.  We  have,  on  former  occasions,  also  considered  the 
evidence  upon  which  our  faith  relies  for  the  infallible  occur- 
rence of  this  event :  1,  The  promise  of  God  contained  in  the 
germ  in  that  great  original  promise  (Gen.  iii.  15)  and  ex- 
panded gradually  and  gloriously  in  the  system  of  prophecy, 
which,  as  a  rainbow  of  hope,  spans  the  whole  scheme  of  pro- 
vidence from  its  inception  to  its  consummation.  (2  Peter  i. 
19-21.)  2,  The  end  to  be  accomplished,  being  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  devil  and  his  works,  involves  both  the  first  and 
second  advents,  the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  the  glory  that 
should  follow.  (1  Peter  i.  12.)  The  one  a  destruction 
morally  (see  Heb.  ii.  15)  and  virtually;  the  other  a  destruc- 
tion by  power,  and  really  and  completely.     The  first  adventj, 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  387 

therefore,  is  a  pledge  of  the  second ;  and  according  to  the 
view  of  prophecy  as  a  system,  which  will  not  allow  us  to  in- 
terpret any  prediction  by  itself  or  privately  (2  Peter  i.  20), 
all  deliverances  of  the  church  from  her  enemies  and  all  judg- 
ments upon  her  enemies  are  to  be  regarded  as  types,  pledges 
and  earnests  of  the  second  advent.  3,  The  transfiguration 
of  our  Lord  upon  the  mount  a  visible  symbol  of  his  second 
coming  (compare  Matt.  svi.  28  with  2  Peter  i.  16-18) ;  and 
notice  the  connection  in  Luke's  account  between  the  first  and 
the  second  advents;  "the  decease  which  he  should  accom- 
plish at  Jerusalem  "  being  the  subject  of  his  conversation  as 
well  as  his  coming  glory.  4,  The  Lord's  supper,  in  which  we 
"show  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come" ;  a  sign  and  com- 
memoration of  his  first  advent;  a  sign  and  pledge  of  his 
second  advent. 

III.  We  have  also  considered,  on  former  occasions,  the 
great  ends  of  this  advent.  The  exhibition  of  God's  glory  as 
the  moral  Governor,  as  the  "just  God  and  the  Saviour,"  in 
the  final  destruction  of  the  works  of  the  devil ;  and  this  is  to 
be  displayed  in  :  1,  The  glory  of  the  righteous ;  2,  The  per- 
dition of  the  wicked.  (See  places  before  cited  and  2  Peter 
iii.  7;  Jude  15.)  These  imply  "the  resurrection  of  the  dead 
and  eternal  judgment." 

IV.  We  have  also  considered  the  sources  and  occasions  of 
skepticism  in  regard  to  this  event  among  men :  1,  They  are 
unioilling  to  believe  it  because  they  are  "walking  after  their 
own  lusts"  (2  Peter  iii.  3) ;  the  truth  is  unpalatable,  and  there- 
fore they  prefer  to  believe  a  lie.  (John  viii.  45.)  It  is  a  day 
of  vengeance  to  the  ungodly,  and  therefore  they  fear  it ;  if  it 
be  true  that  the  Saviour  is  coming  again  they  must  either 
abandon  their  lusts  or  look  for  a  fiery  indignation  which 
shall  devour  the  adversaries.  2,  This  wilful  skepticism  is 
exasperated  by  the  uniformity  of  the  course  of  nature:  "All 
things  continue  as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of  the  crea- 
tion."    (2  Peter  iii.  4.)     The  proneness  of  men  to  lose  sight 


388  Miscellanies. 

of  God  behind  the  veil  of  established  laws ;  and  the  fashion- 
able infidelity  of  the  present  generation,  which  has  degraded 
the  Almighty  God  into  a  mere  law,  and  annulled  his  person- 
ality and  sovereignty,  regards  the  whole  thing  with  peculiar 
contempt.  Geologists  tell  them  that  in  the  solid  rocks  are 
legibly- written  records  of  successive  interpositions  of  the 
power  of  God  sweeping  away  by  earthquake-tempests  whole 
races  of  living  beings,  whole  races  of  animal  and  vegetable 
existences,  and  bringing  others  upon  the  scene,  so  different 
in  their  structure  and  habits  that  they  could  not  have  sprung 
from  the  transmutation  of  those  which  preceded  them  in  the 
order  of  time,  nor  be  the  results  of  any  process  of  develop- 
ment; history  and  tradition,  widespread  and  well  authenti- 
cated, informs  them  of  terrible  convulsions  which  the  earth 
has  undergone,  and  particularly  of  a  deluge  which  once  cov- 
ered the  mountain  tops.  These  granite  mountains  themselves, 
which  lift  their  summits  to  the  clouds  through  strata  of  rock 
which  once  reposed  above  them,  testify  that  "all  things  have 
not  continued  as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of  the  crea- 
tion " ;  that  the  uniformity  of  the  course  of  nature  has  been 
interrupted  and  the  established  laws  of  the  universe  at  times 
violated,  suspended  or  reversed.  But  these  things  they  are 
"willingly  ignorant  of."  3,  The  delay  in  the  execution  of 
the  threatenings,  together  with  the  ill-advised  predictions  of 
presumptuous  students  of  prophecy,  has  contributed  to 
harden  the  hearts  of  unbelievers.  Because  sentence  against 
an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedily,  therefore  the  hearts  of 
men  are  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil.  So  it  was  in  the  days 
of  Noah,  though  the  time  was  not  only  definitely  fixed  in  the 
purpose  of  God,  but  clearly  revealed,  being  one  hundred  and 
twenty  years;  yet  until  the  very  day  that  the  flood  came 
"they  kneio  not,"  they  were  "willingly  ignorant"  of  that  tre- 
mendous event  which  had  been  proclaimed  by  the  "preachers 
of  righteousness,'  Enoch  and  Noah,  time  after  time.  And 
now,  though  the  second  coming  of  the  Crucified  One  has  been 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  389 

proclaimed  to  dying  men  for  more  than  eighteen  hundred  years, 
they  know  it  not,  and  when  it  comes,  it  will  come  like  a  snare, 
and  like  travail  upon  a  woman  with  child,  and  they  shall  not  es- 
cape. Nevertheless  we,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  it. 
It  is  a  promise  which  not  only  ministers  to  our  comfort,  but 
one  which  harmonizes  all  the  powers  of  the  soul,  satisfying 
the  demands  of  our  indestructible  moral  nature,  meeting  fully 
the  anticipations  of  conscience  which  points  to  a  day  where- 
in God  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness  and  striking 
terror  only  into  the  hearts  of  those  who  ought  to  tremble  and 
be  alarmed,  miserable  worms  engaged  in  an  insane  contro- 
versy with  God. 

V.  This  apparent  delay  on  the  part  of  God  in  fulfilling  his 
promise,  or  in  executing  his  threatening  (for  in  both  these 
aspects  it  is  to  be  regarded,  as  it  has  reference  both  to  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked),  is  brought  out  prominently  in  the 
test  and  accounted  for.     "But,  beloved,  be  not  ignorant  of 
this  one  thing,  as  some  men  count  slackness."     There  is  time 
with  us,  but  there  is  no  time  with  God.     Time  is  measured, 
objectively,  by  the  succession  involved  in  the  revolutions  of 
the  heavenly  bodies;  subjectively,  by  the  succession  of  the 
states  and  operations  of  our  own  minds.     Where  there  is  no 
succession  there  can  be  no  time ;  where  there  is  no  experi- 
ence of  succession,  there  can  be  no  consciousness  of  the  lapse 
of  time.     As  there  is  no  succession  in  the  infinite  mind  of 
God,  such  succession  implying  change,  and,  therefore,  im- 
perfection, there  can  be  no  time  as  we  conceive  of  it,  no 
days,  nor  months,  nor  years ;  he  is  in  total  and  simultaneous 
possession  of  his  eternal  life— the  past,  the  present,  and  the 
future— being  all  embraced  in  one  eternal  noio.     It  is,  there- 
fore, hterally  and  philosophically  true  that  with  the  Lord 
one  day  is  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one 
day.     Consequently  to  affirm  that  the  Lord  is  slack  concern- 
ing his  promise  is  not  only  an  impeachment  of  his  moral  per- 
fections, but  is  a  direct  contradiction  to  his  nature  physically 


390  Miscellanies. 

considered.  Even  if  the  immovable  faithfulness  and  the  un- 
changeable veracity  of  the  eternal  did  not  render  it  morally 
impossible  that  he  should  be  slack,  there  would  be  a  naUiral 
or  physical  impossibility  arising  from  his  very  essence.  But 
with  us  it  is  not  so.  Poor  creatures  of  a  day  who  spend  our 
years  as  a  tale  that  is  told,  groaning  under  the  pressure  of 
calamity  vexed  with  the  agitations  of  these  few  days  which 
are  full  of  trouble,  anxiously  looking  for  the  dawn  of  the 
coming  joy,  we  are  impatient  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  pro- 
mise, and  one  day  seems  as  a  thousand  years  and  a  thousand 
years  as  the  lifetime  of  God.  We  are  weary  of  the  long- 
contmued  darkness,  the  word  of  prophecy  and  promise,  the 
light  shining  in  the  darkness  seems  to  be  flickering  in  the 
socket  and  just  ready  to  go  out;  our  soul's  watch  for  the 
rising  of  the  day-star  and  the  dawn  of  day,  and  like  the 
weary  sentinel  on  our  streets,  exposed  all  night  to  the  un- 
wholesome damps,  and  yielding  to  the  demands  of  exhausted 
nature,  we  are  ready,  though  the  night  is  far  spent,  to  say 
that  the  morning  will  never  come.  It  is  a  long,  dreary, 
wintry  night,  my  brethren,  and  is  it  strange  that  the  expos- 
tulation should  burst  with  a  groan  from  our  heart  and  lips, 
"How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long?"  "But,  beloved,  be  not 
ignorant  of  this  one  thing,  that  one  day  is  with  the  Lord  as 
a  thousand  years  and  a  thousand  years  as  one  day."  "  He  is 
long-suffering  to  us-ward,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish, 
but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance."  The  time  is  fixed; 
but  so  long  as  there  breathes  upon  earth  one  solitary  human 
being  for  whom  Jesus  has  laid  down  his  life,  who  has  been 
ordained  to  faith,  repentance,  and  life  eternal,  and  destined 
to  be  an  assessor  with  Jesus  upon  his  throne,  so  long  shall 
the  heavens  contain  him  whom  our  soul  loveth;  but  after 
the  number  of  the  elect  shall  have  been  accomplished,  not 
one  moment  longer.  Then  shall  he  be  revealed,  and  the 
earth  mth  all  its  works  and  wickedness  be  given  to  the 
flames. 


Other  Sekmons  and  Briefs.  391 

But  here  a  difficulty  arises.  The  apostles  of  our  Lord 
constantly  speak  of  this  day  as  being  very  near,  as  "drawing 
nigh,"  as  being  just  "at  hand."  More  than  eighteen  centu- 
ries of  time  have  elapsed  since  they  fell  asleep,  and  yet  he  is 
not  here.  These  expressions  can  be  explained  on  the  prin- 
ciples already  laid  down.  (See  Horsley's  sermon  on  James 
'V.  8.)  "There  is  a  use  of  the  words  soon  and  late,"  says 
Horsley,  "whereby  any  one  portion  of  time,  taken  simply,  is 
understood  to  be  compared  with  the  number  of  events  that 
are  to  come  to  pass  in  it  in  natural  consequence  and  succes- 
sion. If  the  events  are  few  in  proportion  to  the  time,  the 
succession  must  be  slow,  and  the  time  may  be  called  long. 
If  they  are  many,  the  succession  must  be  quick,  and  the 
time  may  be  called  short  in  respect  to  the  number  of  events, 
whatever  may  be  the  absolute  extent  of  it.  It  seems  to  be  in 
this  sense  that  expressions  denoting  speediness  of  event  are 
applied  by  the  sacred  writers  to  our  Lord's  coming.  In  the 
day  of  Messiah  the  Prince,  in  the  interval  between  our  Lord's 
ascension  and  his  coming  again  to  judgment,  the  world  was  to 
be  gradually  prepared  and  refined  for  its  end.  The  apostles 
were  to  carry  the  tidings  of  salvation  to  the  extremities  of 
the  earth.  They  were  to  be  brought  before  kings  and  rulers, 
and  to  sprinkle  the  new-planted  churches  with  their  blood. 
Vengeance  was  to  be  executed  on  the  unbelieving  Jews,  by 
the  destruction  of  their  city,  and  the  dispersion  of  their 
nation.  The  pagan  idolatry  was  to  be  extirpated,  the  man 
of  sin  to  be  revealed.  Jerusalem  is  yet  to  be  trodden  down ; 
the  remnant  of  Israel  is  to  be  brought  back,  the  elect  of  God 
to  be  gathered  from  the  four  winds  of  heaven ;  and  when  the 
apostles  speak  of  that  event  as  at  hand,  which  is  to  close 
this  great  scheme  of  Providence,  a  scheme  in  all  its  parts  so 
extensive  and  so  various,  they  mean  to  intimate  how  busily 
the  great  work  is  going  on,  and  with  what  confidence,  from 
what  they  saw  accomplished  in  their  own  days,  the  first 
Christians  might  expect  in  due  time  the  promised  consum- 


392  Miscellanies. 

mation."  This  will  also  explain  the  use  iu  the  prophecies  of 
a  day  for  a  year  or  longer  period  of  time.  (See  Num.  xiv.  34 ; 
Ezek.  iv.  6  for  the  rule  and  paraphrases,  passim,  for  exam- 
ples.) Thus  in  Jer.  xxx.  7,  the  "day  of  Jacob"  is  either  the 
seventy  years  of  the  Babylonish  captivity,  or,  as  is  more 
probable,  the  period  of  the  last  dispersion  (the  great  "tribu- 
lation" of  Matt,  xxiv.),  or  both. 

There  is  another  consideration  of  time  noticed  by  Horsley 
which  tends  to  throw  light  upon  this  form  of  expression.  A 
period  may  be  called  short  in  comparison  with  another  period 
which  is  a  great  deal  longer,  as  well  as  in  the  number  of 
events  it  embraces.  Thus  human  life  is  spoken  of  as  a 
"vapour,"  a  "  handbreadth,"  a  "shadow,"  as  the  movement  of 
"the  weaver's  shuttle,"  as  the  "flight  of  an  eagle,"  as  a  "past," 
as  a  "breath,"  etc.,  etc.,  in  comparison  with  the  duration  of 
the  life  beyond  the  grave,  or  with  the  eternity  of  God.  So 
the  interval  between  the  ascension  and  the  return  of  our 
Lord  may  be  considered  short  in  comparison  with  the  whole 
duration  of  the  earth  from  the  creation  to  the  advent,  or  in 
comparison  with  that  endless  dispensation  of  the  moral  gov- 
ernment of  God  which  the  second  advent  will  introduce. 

VI.  Improvement: 

First,  This  is  a  subject  which  is  peculiarly  appropriate  to 
the  close  of  one  year  and  the  commencement  of  another. 
These  regular  periods  of  time  measured  by  the  revolutions 
of  our  solar  system,  with  their  beginnings  and  endings,  are 
suited  to  remind  us  that  as  the  dispensation  under  which  we 
live  had  a  beginning,  so  it  will  also  have  an  end.  And  when- 
ever we  speak  or  write  "Anno  Domini"  or  m  the  "year  of 
our  Lord,"  w©  ought  to  be  reminded  that  as  our  era  com- 
menced with  his  first  coming  it  will  end  with  his  second. 
Every  night  when  we  disrobe  ourselves  to  rest  iipon  our  beds 
we  should  think  of  the  night  of  death  when  we  shall  be  dis- 
robed of  our  bodies  to  lie  down  in  our  graves.  Every  morn- 
ing when  we  awake  from  sleep,  the  image  of  death,  we  should 


Other  Sermons  and  Briefs.  393 

be  reminded  of  the  morning  of  our  resurrection  from  death 
itself,  and  our  entrance  upon  the  services  or  woes  of  eternity. 
The  close  of  the  year  and  the  settling  of  accounts  should 
remind  us  of  the  close  of  life  and  of  the  day  when  each  one 
of  us  shall  give  an  account  of  himself  unto  God,  etc.  etc. 

Second,  An  address  to  the  impenitent  founded  upon  Matt. 
xxiv.  36-42.  The  days  of  Noah :  the  warnings  of  God  by  the 
moiTth  of  Noah ;  the  warnings  giving  by  the  building  of  the 
ark;  but  they  '■'knein  not'"  imtil  the  flood  came.  So  now, 
the  warning  voice  of  the  word  and  the  ministry.  The  warn- 
ings giving  by  the  Lord's  supper ;  the  warnings  given  by  the 
building  up  of  the  church,  the  gathering  in  of  the  elect.  The 
body  of  Christ  will  one  day  be  complete,  the  last  elect  one 
shall  be  gathered  in,  and  the  door  of  the  ark  will  be  shut, 
and  the  windows  of  heaven  be  opened,  and  the  boiling 
abysses  of  fire  will  be  broken  up,  and  mercy  be  clean  gone 
forever. 

Third,  To  believers  and  professors  of  religion ;  your  great 
duty  consists  in  two  things  (represented  by  the  parables  of 
the  ten  virgins  and  the  talents  in  juxtaposition  (see  Trench 
on  the  Last  Parahle),  a  patient  waiting  for  Christ  and  a  dih- 
gent  use  of  all  your  talents,  intellect,  wealth,  time,  grace, 
gifts,  etc.  etc.,  in  his  serv'ice.  Let  him  not  when  he  cometh 
find  no  oil  in  your  lamps ;  let  him  not  find  you  idle  or  drunken 
wdth  worldly  pleasure.  This  year  upon  which  we  have  en- 
tered is  big  with  the  destinies  of  individuals  and  nations. 
Even  the  hearts  of  worldly  statesmen  are  failing  them  for 
fear  and  for  those  things  that  are  coming  on  the  earth.  Oh, 
that  we  may  have  grace  to  watch,  and  be  counted  worthy  to 
stand  before  the  "Sou  of  man"! 


INDEX  OF  SCRIPTURES 

REFERRED  TO  IN  THIS  VOLUME. 


Genesis—  page. 

i.  1, 281 

i.  26, 357 

ii.  1-3, 344 

ii., 52 

iii., 241 

iii.  C^ 98 

iii.  11,  13, 98 

iii.  15,  32, 44, 46, 55, 68, 82, 127,   386 

iii.  17,  18 358 

is.  6, 357 

xi.  1  ff 54 

XV.  13-16, 122 

xvii.  1 94 

xvii 68.  224 

xviii.  18,  19, 222 

xxiii.  19, 122 

xxxiii.  19, 122 

xxxix.  9, 98 

xlii.  38 62 

1.  13, 122 

EXODTTS — 

iii.  12, 122 

iv.  10, 58 

iv.  22, 222 

iv.  22,  23 79 

vi.  3 78 

xvii.  2 100 

xix.  15, 375 

xxiii.  21 78 

xxxiii.  18-23, 116 

xxxiii.  19 78 

xxxiv.  5-7, 78 

xxxiv.  5-7,  29-35 116 

xxxiv.  14 78 

Leviticus — 

xxiv.  11,  16, 109 

xxvii.  28,  29 100 

NrMBEES — 

xii.  6 289 

xii.  6,  9, 84 

895 


XuMBERS,  continued —  Page. 

xii.  7.  8, 84 

xiv.  34, 392 

xvi.  22, 303 

xxi.  5  ff., 100 

xxiii.  10, 82 

xxvi.  10, 123 

Deuteronomt — 

i.  13,  14, 154 

i.  13,  15, 180 

vi.  16 100 

vii.  3, 161 

xiii.  1, 91 

xiii.  1-5, 88 

xiii.  2, 89 

xiv.  1, 222 

xvi.  18, 180 

xvii.  7, 128 

xviii.  1,  20, ,97 

xviii.  18-22, 88 

xviii.  20, 89 

xviii.   22, 89 

xix.  29, 175 

xxiii., 132 

xxix.  10-15, 220 

xxxi.  11-13, 264 

xxxi.  12,  13, 220 

xxxiv.  10, 84 

Joshua — 

xxiv.  32, 123 

Judges — 

iii.  9-15, 286 

xi.  11, 180 

2  Samuel — 
vi.  1, 180 

1  KlXGS — 

i.  32  45, 87 

ii.  38,  39, 135,  136 

XV.  17,  18, 167 


39G 


Index  of  Scriptuees. 


3  Kings—  Page. 

xvii.  6, 122 

xxiii.  10, 63 

1  Cheonioles — 

viii.  12, 137 

xvi.  10, 100 

XXV.  1-3 53 

xxix.  9-17, 181 

2  Cheonioles — 

xxxiii.   6, 62 

EZEA — 

ii.  33, 137 

ix.  8,  9, 80 

X.   1, 220 

Nehemiah — 

vii.  37, 137 

viii.   1-8, 54 

ix., 286 

xi.  35, •'  •    .    .  137 

Job — 

i.  5, 224 

iv.  12,  19, 289 

xxix.  11-18, 335 

XXX.  25, 355 

xxxi.  15-22, 355 

xxxiii.  15, 289 

xxxviii.  5, 267 

Psalms  — 

i 363 

ii.  4, 94 

viii.  5, 358 

xiv.  1, 331 

xvi., 61,  218 

xvi.  9, 55,  218 

xix., 363 

xxix.  2, 78 

XXX.  13, 218 

xxxiv.  3, 78 

xxxiv.   7, 104 

xxxvii.  73, 300 

xlv.  3, 80 

xlix.  3, 79 

xlix.  10,  11, 360 

Ivii.  8, 218 

Ixi.  5, 78 

Ixvii., 76 


Psalms,  continued —  Page. 

Ixxxiv.  11, 125 

xci.  11-13, 104 

ciii., 36 

ciii.  10, 361 

cv.  6, 106 

cvi.  17 133 

cviii.  7, 218 

ex., 61 

cxvii. , 76 

cxix., 363 

cxix.  11, 99 

cxxvi.  5,  6, 295 

cxlviii., 76 

Proveebs — 

i.  7-15, 69 

1.  32, 81 

v.   12,  23 69 

xiv.  31, 357 

xvi.  1 318 

xvi.  4, 381 

xvi.  7, 73,  96 

Ecclesiastes — 

ii.  31, 860 

iii.  21, 137 

V.  13-17, 360 

xi.  6, 7a 

Song  of  Solomon — 
i.  3, 284 

ISAIAII — 

iii.  1-6, 301 

iv.  2, 85. 

V.  30, 235 

vi., 306,216,218 

vi.  1  £f., 7» 

vi.  5-7, 31» 

vi.  6, 53 

vi.  6,  7, 47 

vii.  14, 85,  286 

viii.  13,  14 94 

viii.   16  20, 163 

xi.  4, 99 

xxviii.  16, 345 

XXX.  31, 311 

XXX.  33, 62 

xxxii.  1, 230 

xxxii.  6,  10 77 

xxxii.  15, 230 

xl.-lxvi., 95 


Index  of  Scriptures. 


397 


Isaiah,  continued — 


Page.  I  HosEA— 


xl.  9-11, 281 

xli.  1^ 81 

xli.  8 78 

xlii.   1-4, 95 

xliii.  10, 211 

xliii.  20, 106 

xliv.  3,  4, 220 

xliv.  12, 211 

xlv.  4,  .  .    , 100 

xlvi.  24 62 

xlvlii.  20, 78 

xlix.  3,  5,  6, 78 

liii.  11 78 

liv.  17 78 

Iv.  1 106 

Iv.  8  11 295 

Iv.  11, 351 

Ivi.  3-5 132 

lix.  19-21, 220 

Ixi.  1, 362 

Jeremiah — 

vii.  31,32, 62 

xii.  2, 300 

XX.  5, 1G3 

xxiii.  5,  6, 85 

XXX.  7, 392 

xxxi.   9-20, 222 

xxxi.  31-34, 80 

xxxn.  35, 62 

xxxiii.  28,  29 264 

xxxviii.  7-13, 132 

li.  33, 301 

EZEKIEL — 

iv.  6, 392 

xxxiii.  31, 54 

xxxvi.  24  ff 80 

xxxvi.  25,  26,  27,  37, 226 

xxxvii., 80 

xl.  46 87 

xliv.  12, 87 

xlviii.  11, 87 


Daniel — 
ii.,   .    . 


55 


vii.  1,  .  . 
vii.  1-14, 
vii.,  .  .    . 


289 

127 

55 


vii.  13, 127 

ix.  2 48 

ix.  31, 345 


X.  2, 

xi.  1, 
xi.  3, 


Joel — 
iii.  13, 


Amos — 
V.  27,  .  . 
ix.  11,  12, 

Jonah — 

ii.  2,  .    . 


MiOAH — 

iii.  11, . 

H.AGGAI — 


ii.  5, 

ii.  7, 


Zechariah — 
vi.  13,  .  .  . 
viii.  14,  15, 
xi.  7, 


xiv.  4, 


Malachi — 

ii.  7,  .   . 


Page. 

.  295 
.  223 
.    79 


301 


122 
81 


135 


87 

79 
167 


62 

79 
230 


xii.  10, 134 


49 


87 


Matthew — 

i.  31, 32,  241,  284 

ii.  12-23, 287 

iii., 65 

iii.    10, 301 

iv.  7 7 

iv.  8-10, 47 

iv.  23, 39 

V.  8 157 

V.  18, 206 

V.  20, 206 

V.  28 68 

V.   43-48, 356 

vi.  3 184 

vi.  22,  23, 53 

vi.  23-34, 73 

vii.  31-23, 298 

vii.  24-27, 375 

viii.  17 359 

ix.  5,  6 90 

X.   17-20 124 


J98 


Index  of  Scriptures. 


Matthew,  continued — 


Page.    Matthew,  continued — 


X.  19,  20, 89 

xi.  2 39 

xi.  23, 62 

xi.  28 106 

xii.  1-7, 37 

xii.  17-21, 95 

xii.  23, 374 

xii.  23  30, 35 

xii.  28 61 

xii.  37 70 

xiii., 301 

xiii.  3-8, 299 

xiii.  10-16, 301 

xiii.   10-17, 123 

xiii.  12 68 

xiii.  13 70 

xiii.  15 206 

xiii.  24-30, 296 

xiii.  38 350 

xvi.  16 63 

xvi.  18 62 

xvi.  20, 39 

xvi.   21   22, 37 

xvi.  21-23, 47 

xvi.  28 375 

xvii.   1-4, 301 

xvii.  3, 117 

xvii.  4,  5 84 

xviii.  6 302 

xviii.  7 300 

xviii.  19.  20, 52,  93 

xix.  15-22, 356 

xix.  28 48 

xxii.  11-14, 298 

xxii.  23, 87 

xxii.  23-33, 269 

xxii.  30 116 

xxiii.  3, 124 

xxiii.  34  47 79 

xxiii.   35, 105 

xxiv., 392 

xxiv.   9-14, 300 

xxiv.   25, 350 

xxiv.  36-42, 393 

XXV.  1-12 298 

XXV.  31-46, 375 

XXV.  34-36, 106,  356 

XXV.  35, 357 

xxvi.  26-30 66 

xxvi.  42, 140 

xxvii.  5, 98 

xxvii.  25, 105 

xxvii.  57, 177 


xxviii.  2-4 116 

xxviii.  19, 175 

Mark — 

iv.  20-29 295 

iv.  28 299 

viii.  11 188 

viii.  38, 349 

ix.  43-48 62 

•  xii.  25, 116 

89 

39 

206 

236 

349 


xiii.  11, 
xiv.  11, 
xiv.  25, 
xiv.  70, 
xvi.  16, 

Luke — 


i.  1-4 211 

i.  8,  9 149 

i.  23 149 

ii., 287 

ii.  26 143 

iii.  20,  21 159 

iii.  21, •    •    •    .  185 

iv.  16, 54 

iv.  17-21, 362 

V.  16, 140 

V.  29, 159 

vi.  1 ,  2, 185 

vi.  26 73 

vi.  27-36 356 

vi.  45 47 

vii.  39 109 

viii.  34,41,44, 159 

ix.  2 39 

ix.  54 300 

x.  15 62 

X.  42 162 

xi.  30,  31, 117 

xi.  41 358 

xi.  48 131 

xii., 288 

xii.  15 101 

xii.  16-21, 73 

xii.  23 73 

xii.  32 301 

xii.  42, 360 

xiii.   3, 65 

xvi.  2,  3, 62 

xvi.  9, 73 

xvi.  27-31, 2G4 

xvii.  1, 300 


Index  of  Sceiptures. 


390 


Luke,  continued —  Page, 

xvli.  1,  2, 302 

six.  25, 167 

xix.  41, 181 

xxi.  11,  35-38, 69 

xxii.  3, 98 

xxii.  24-30 48 

xxii.  28-30, 301 

xxii.   32, 58,  65 

xxii.  59 236 

xxii.  66 104 

xxiii.   12, 94 

xxiii.  33, 184 

xxiv., 145 

xxiv.   16, 44 

xxiv.  25-27, 79 

xxiv.  26, 63 

xxiv.  31,  36 44 

xxiv.   46 63 


John — 

i.  14, 

ii.  35, 

ill.  2, 

ill.  6, 

iii.  8 

iii.  25,  26, 

iii.  34, 34,  43, 

iv.  1,  2,  

iv.  22, 

iv.  29, 

iv.  39-42, 

iv.  41 213, 

iv.  42 213, 

iv.  54 

V.  35, 


V.  39, 

V.  39,  40,  45,  46,  47, 

vi.  38-40, 

vi.  66-69, 

vi.  68, 

vi.  70, 


vii.  39 

viii.  44, 116, 

viii.  45, 

ix.  16,  24 

X.  11, 

X.  17,  18, 

X.  34, 

X.  25, 

xi.  11,  13,  26 

xi.  39, 

xi.  49-52, , 


303 
181 

88 
302 
303 

47 
362 

66 
269 
265 
211 
265 
265 
140 

88 
363 

89 

78 
123 
104 

50 

83 
106 
312 
387 

91 
351 

37 

39 
,  88 
,  129 
,  205 
,  82 


John,  continued —  Page. 

xii.  23,  24, 52 

xii.  38-40, 79 

xii.  40, 206 

xiii.  7-17, 37 

xiii.  27 98 

xiv.  16, 150 

xiv.  16-18, 34,  35 

xiv.'l7, 58 

xiv.  25, 34 

xiv.  26, 71 

XV.  24 88,  337 

XV.  26, 34 

xvi.  7 37 

xvi.  7-15, 34,  69 

....  39 
....  344 
....  344 
....  62 
....  71 
....  302 


xvi.  14, 

xvii.  1-3,  .    .    .    . 

xvii.  4, 

xvii.  4,  5,  .    .    .    . 
xvii.  8,  14,  17,  18, 

xvii.  23, 

xviii.  3,  12, 185 

xviii.  14, 82 

xviii.  36,  37, 80 

xix.  7, 89 

xix.   19-26, 44 

xix.  30, 344 

xix.  34,  35, 345 

4, 132 

43 
181 
140 
104 


XX 


9'>. 


XX. 

xxi.  15-17, 
xxi.  16,  .  . 
xxi.  22,  .    . 


AOTS- 


-xsvin. 
1,.  .  . 
4,.  .  . 
5,.  .  . 
6,  7,  . 
6-8,.  . 


32-205 

.    .    84 


215 

70 

79 

209 

71,  131,1^2 

.  1, 47,  59,  93 

.  1-11 76 

.4, 58,  216 

.  4-11, 210 

.10, 145 

.11 96 

.14 87 

.  16-21 90 

.21 219 

.  21,  22, 128 

.  22-3(1 219 

.  23,  24,  36, 90,  94 


400 


Index  of  Scriptures. 


Acts,  continued —  Page. 

ii.  26, 53,  140,  218 

ii.  27 63 

ii.  27-31, 62 

ii.  28-32, 90 

ii.  29.  30, 180 

ii.  33, 34,  43,  106 

ii.  37, 107,  127,  210 

ii.  38, 58,  79,  106 

ii.  39, 132,  220 

il.  43, 101 

ii.  45, 73 

ii.  47, 87,  95,  96,  114 

iii.  6, 359,  386 

iii.  13-15, 90 

iii.  15 106 

iii.  16, 34 

iii.  19, 64 

iii.  19-26, 210 

iii.  22-26, 221 

iii.  25,  26, 223 

iv.  5  12, 79 

iv.  10, 47 

iv.  12, 79 

iv.  13-16, 108 

iv.  19 47,  87,  105 

iv.  19-21, 77 

iv.  20, 47 

iv.  31  ff., 114 

iv.  32, 72 

iv.  33, 101 

iv.  35, Ill 

T.  4, 95 

V.  12 114 

V.  13, 120 

V.  14, 87,  114 

V.  17, •    ■ 87 

V.  24 185 

V.  26, 120,  185 

V.  29, 47 

V.  41 114 

V.  42, 39,  64,  142,  148 

vi 227,  240 

vi.  1-6, 154,  226 

vi.  3 243,  256 

vi.  4 148 

vi    7 114 

vi.  11, 124 

vi.  12, 73,  87,  154 

vi.  13, 124 

vi.  14 124 

vii., 89 


vii.  17,  20, 
vii.  22,    . 


48 


Acts,  continued —  Page. 

vii.  35, 84 

vii.  51, 145 

vii.  56, 297 

vii.  57, 107 

vii.  58 115 

viii.  7 167 

viii.  13, 70 

viii.  15, 39 

viii.  17, 113 

viii.  21, 51 

viii.  39, 96 

ix.  6, 227 

ix.  10, 34 

ix.  19 50 

ix.  20-22 63 

ix.  23-30, 34 

X.  1, 185 

X.  22, 143 

X.  29, 230 

X.  38, 106 

X.  41 47,  154 

X.  42, 169 

X.  43, 231 

X.  44-46, 113 

X.  46, 63,  59,  68 

xi.  15 244 

xi.  26, 234 

xii.  7, 104 

xii.  10, 183 

xiii.  1-3, 227 

xiii., 54 

xiii.  6, 285 

xiii.  23, 113 

xiii.  46, 71,  85 

xiv.  1, 210,  239 

xiv.  11,   13,  20 205 

xiv.  23, 226,  227 

XV.  5, 190 

xvi.  15, 171 

xvi.  30 64 

xvi.  31, 240 

xvii.  3, 59,  63 

xvii.  5, 171 

xvii.  11, 89 

xvii.  14, 171 

xvii.  16, 169 

xvii.  26,  31, 143 

xviii.  18, 102 

xviii.  24-xix.  1, 66 

xviii.  28, 63 

xix.  1  ff., 66,  67 

xix.   2,  6, 68 

xix.  6, 53,  81,  113 


Index  of  Scriptures. 


401 


Acts,  continued —  Page. 

xix.  20, 181 

xix.  24,  25 163 

xix.  40 190 


XX.  13,  .    . 

XX.  21,  25, 
XX.  27,  .  . 
XX.  28, 


XXIU.,.     .      . 

xxiii.  8  ff.,. 
xxiii.  8,  .  . 
xxiv.,  .  .  . 
xxiv.  5, 


152 

4G 

231 

342 

xxi.  27, lis,  193 

xxi.  28, 116 

xxii.  5, 104 

xxii.  10 243,  246 

xxii.  17-21 254 

89 

89 

87 

89 

236 

xxiv.  18, 115 

xxiv.  28 236 

XXV.  16, 164 

XXV.  22, 199 

xxvi.  7, 187 

xxvi.  15-18, 244 

xxvi.  16, 50 

xxvi.  24,  25, 257 

xxvi.  29 196 

xxvii.  36.  54, 145 

xxviii., 89 

xxviii.  4, 145 

xxviii.  2-^,  31, 39 

Romans — 

i.  2, 57 

1.  4, 37,  62 

i.  13, 197 

i.  16, 85,  90 

i.  16,  17, 346 

i.  20, 359 

i.  30, 94 

i.  32, 131 

ii.  10, 85 

ii.  28,  29, 298 

iii.  2 211,  266 

iii.  12, 266 

iii.  13,  14, 218 

iv.  12-16, 298 

iv.  21, 94 

vi.  17 36 

vii., 141,  231,  370 

vii.  1, 141 

vii.  3 236 

vii.  7-11, 135 

viii., 370 


Romans,  conti7iued —  Page. 

viii.  1, 345 

viii.  3 344,  348 

viii.  3,  4, 345 

viii.  7, 94,  371 

viii.  16 107 

viii.  17-32, 301 

viii.  20,  21, 358 

viii.  23, 96 

ix.  1, 35 

ix.  2, 196 

ix.  4 222 

ix.  6, •• 298 

X.  4 345 

X.  12-14, 219 

X.  14-17,   .    .  , 36 

X.  16 211 

xi  , 74,  88,  221 

xi.  12-15, 81 

xi.  20, 100 

xi.  25-32 125 

xii., 231,  371 

xii.  1, 70,  370 

xii.  2 371 

xiii.  6, 149 

xiii.  8-10 371 

xiii.  11-14 350 

xiv.  4,  10-13, 300 

xiv.  17, 61,  80 

XV.  16, 149 

XV.  25, 176 

XV.  26, 72,  176 

XV.  31, 176 

xvi.  19, 197 

xvi.  25,   26, 365 

1  Corinthians — 

1.  14,  17, 175 

i.  18, 90 

i.  23, 346 

i.  24, 90,  346 

i.  30, 345 

ii.  1, 300 

ii.  2 171,  231,  239 

ii.  10-15, 35 

ii.  14, 304 

ii.  16, 35 

iii.  5, 231 

iii.  10, 151 

iii.  19 70 

iv.  1 231 

iv.  2 360 

iv.  35 300 

V.  5, 330 


26 


402 


Index  of  Scriptuees. 


1  Corinthians,  contimud —   page. 

V.  7 52,  57 

vi.  10, 10 

vi.  19,  20 73 

vii.  12,  13 131 

viii.  9 157 

ix.  20, 

ix.  27, 

X.  2, 


X. 

X.  10, 


345 
361 
175 
100 

71 


X.  12, 151 


X.  31, 

xi.  7, 
xi.  19,  . 
xi.  23,  . 
xii.,  . 
xii.  1,  . 
xii.  10, 
xii.  28, 
xiii.  8, 
xiv. ,  . 
xiv.  2,  . 
xiv. 
xiv. 
xiv. 
xiv. 

XV. 
XV. 
XV. 

xvi. 
xvi. 
xvi. 
xvi. 


58, 


11,  .  . 

18,  .  . 

23,  .  . 

24,  26, 
23,  .  . 

55,  .  . 

56,  .  . 
1-9,  . 


73 
357 
300 

187 

230 

362 

53 

227 

276 

53 

217 

205 

58 

56 

265 

52 

62 

344 

176 

359 

154 

196 


2  Corinthians — 


21,  22, 68 

15,  10, 351 

ii.  16, 99 

58 

iii.  6-18, 61 

iii.  12, 58 

iii.  13-18, 116,  117 


iii.  14-17, 
iv.  6,  . 
iv  15,. 
V.  11,  . 
V.  19,  . 
vi.  7,  . 
vi.  15, 
vii.,.  . 
vii.  1,  . 
vii.  8-10, 


295 
344 
359 
266 
211 
184 
162 
371 
370 
64 


vii.  10 127 


2  Corinthians,  continued- 


Page. 

.  238 
.  72 
.  355 
.  359 
.  193 
.  360 


Vlll., 

viii.  4 

viii.  9, 

viii.  11,   12, 

viii.  13, 

viii.  14,  15, 

viii.  19, 154 

ix., 238 

ix.  11-13, 359 

ix.   12, 149 

ix.   13, 72 

x.  13,  15,  16, 267 

xi.  14 116 

xi.   22, Ill 


Galatians — 

i.  11,  12, 

i.  15,  16, ,    .    .    . 

i.  17,  18,   ... 

i.  18, 135, 

i.  19, 

ii.  4, 157, 

ii.  20, 

iii.  2  14, 

iii.  8 

iii.  10-13, 

iii.  14, 68, 

iii.  16,  17, 

iii.  21,    .    . 

iii.  24, 

iii.  27-29, 

iv.  1-7, 

iv.  2, 

iv.  6, 01,  107, 

iv.  9, 

iv.  14, 

V.  5, 

V.  6, 70, 

V.  16, 

V.  16-25,    

V.  17, 

V.  25 

vi.  8, 

vi.  10 

vi.  15, 

vi.  16,  .  .   .    .' 


35 

47 

135 

140 

135 

199 

48 

61 

68 

345 

220 

68 

348 

231 

68 


359 
140 
116 

61 
157 

61 
304 
370 

61 

61 
357 

70 
267 


Ephesians — 

10, 58 

13,  14, 68 

ii.  12 371 

ii.  17, 220 

ii.  18, 99 


Index  of  Scriptures. 


403 


Ephesians,  continued —      Page. 

ii-  20, 38,  276 

iii-  9,  10, 281,  344 

iv.  7-14, 227 

iv.  8, 230 

iv.  11,  13, 27G 

iv.  11-13, 297 

iv.  11-15, 211 

iv.  24, 357 

iv.  28 3G0 

v.  9 374 

V.  15 151 

V.  18-20,  .  .  •  •  • 73 

V.  19,  20 76 

V.  23  33, 52 

vi.  18 59 


2  Thessalonians,  continued —  Page. 

i.  7, 193 

ii-  4,  8, 215 

iii.  6-14, 95 

1  Timothy — 


1. 
1. 

ii. 
ii.  8, 


1, 


vi.  19, 
vi.  20, 


Philippians — 

i.  7, ,  .  .  167 

i.  27, 190 

ii.  9, ....  284 

•  ii.  9,  10, 286 

ii.  12,  13, 370 

ii.  19, .  . 149 

ii.  25 149 

ii.  30, 149 

iii.  2, 151 

iii.  3 205 

iii.  13-16, 52 

iii.  20,  21, 350 

iii.  21, Ill 

Colossians — 

i.  12, 163 

ii.  7, 210 

ii.  8, lol 

iii.  1-3 371 

iii.  3.  4, 301 

iii.  16, 37,  73,  76 

iv.  3, 58 

iv.  11, 385 

iv.  17, 151 

1  Thessalonians — 

i.  5 210 

ii.  13, 210,  213,  262 

ii.  16, 105 

ii.  18, 162 

iv.  14, 128 

V.  18, 76,  358 

2  Thessalonians — 

i., 386 

i.  6-8, .,,,..,.,,..  301 


1-13, 
8ff.,. 
16,  . 
2,  .  . 
3,.  . 


226, 


146, 


113, 


.  .  .  95, 
87,  230, 


345 
231 
72 
196 
228 
112 
211 
366 
358 
358 
358 
150 
100 
175 
243 
101 


iv.  4, 

iv.  14, 

V.  1, 

v.  13, 

V.  17, 

vi.  5-10, 

2  Timothy — 

i.  6 113,  363 

i.  12, 128 

ii.  9, 104 

ii.  13, 348 

iii.  15, 211 

iii.  16, 267,  269 

iv.  2, 149 

iv.  6-8 128,  301 

iv.  13, 90,  361 

V.  5, 211 


Titus— 
i.  15, 
ii.,  . 


358 

199 

ii.  11, 350 

ii.  11-14, 369 

ii.  12,  13 350 

iii.  4-6, 303 

Hebrews — 

i.  1, 57,  268 

i.  2 57 

i.  4 284 

i.  7 149 

i.  14 104,  149 

ii., 363 

ii.  9 358 

ii.  10, 106 

ii.  14, 303 

ii.  15, 386 


404 


Index  of  Sceiptukes. 


Hebrews,  continued —  Page. 

iii.  2-6, 84 

ili.  13, 81 

iv., 265 

iv.  6, 356 

v., 181 

vi.  1-6 233 

vi.  4-6, 293 

vi.  10, 356 

vi.  18 348 

vii.  2, 149 

vii.  5, 149 

viii.  5, 143 

ix.  10, 47 

X.  4, 57 

X.  6-10, 57 

X.  19-22 345 

X.  26,  27 349 

xi.  7, 143 

xi.  40, 58 

xii.  2, 106 

xii.  3, 300 

xii.  9, 303 

xii.  18-21, 217 

xii.  18-24 57 

xii.  22-24 217 

xii.  23, 58 

xii.  25, 143 

xii.  26, 167 

xiii.  5, 101,  206 

xiii.  6, 101,  193 

xiii.  9, 140 

xiii.  15 76 

xiii.  16, 73,  860,  361 

James — 

i.  8 295 

1.  12, 301 

i.  14, 98 

i.  18, 36 

1.  26, 54 

i.  27, 359 

iii., 53 

iii.  2, 54 

iii.  2,  6 218 

iii.  2-12, 218 

iii.  5-8 73 

V.  3, 73 

v.  8, 391 

1  Peter — 

i.  5-9, 350 

i.  6,  7,    .    .    .    , 300 


1  Peter,  continued —  Page. 

i.  10-12, 69,  80 

i.  11 48 

i.  12, 42,  344,  386 

i.  19-21 386 

i.  20 387 

i.  23, 36 

ii.  2, 37 

ii.  5-9, 149 

iii.  7, 387 

iii.  18, 90 

iv.  3, 141 

iv.  9, 360 

iv.  10, 236 

V.  1-5,  .  .  .  •  • 100 

V.  12,  13, 301 

2  Peter — 

i.  1, 167 

i.  5 71 

i.  15-21, 205 

i.  16-18, 49,  387 

i.  19-21, 82 

ii., 91 

ii.  1,  2, 351 

ii.  12, 304 

iii.  3, 387 

iii.  4,  .  , 387 

iii.  4-9, 60 

iii.  8,  9, 388 

iii.  11,12, 350 

iii.  15, 158 

iii.  17, 351 

iii.  18 114 

1  John — 

ii.  15,  17, 371 

ii.  19, 298 

ii.  21, 89 

iii.  1,  2, 301 

iii.  2 116 

iii.  12-15, Ill 

iii.  14, 106 

iii.  24, 107 

iv.  15, 375 

iv.  17, 300 

V.  5 345 

V.  9, 265 

JUDE — 

VS.  11, 91 

"15, 387 

"19, 304 


Index  of  Scriptures. 


405 


Revelation'—  Page. 

i.  5, 300,  386 

i.  10-20, 35 

i.  13, 45 

i.  16, •    • 80 

i.  18 63 

ii.  1,  2, 70 

ii.  6, 113 

ii.  15, 45,  46,  113 

ii.  26-28 301 

iii.  17,  18, 349 

iii.  21, 301 

V.  9-14, 55 

vi.  8, •••....    62 

vi.  15-17 286 

xi.  3, 300 

xi.  15, 45,  46 


Revelation,  continued —  Page. 

xiii.  2, 55 

xiv.  14-16, 301 

xiv.  17-20, 301 

xix.  7,  8, 349 

xix.  10, 82,  231 

xix.  11, 286 

xix.  13-16, 80 

xix.  15, 301 

xix.  21 •    ....    80 

XX 303 

XX.  13, 62 

XX.  14 63 

xxi.  14, 48,  106 

xxii.  18 100,  233,  270 

xxii.  19, 233 


GENERAL  INDEX. 

VOLUMES  1.,  II.,  III. 


Aaron,  the  first  separate  order  of 

priests  that  of,  i.  95 
Abel  and  Cain,  recognize  their  de- 
pendence upon  God  by  offering 
their  property,  i.  90 
Acts,  the,  of  the  Apostles,  notes  on, 
iii.  33-205 

introductory  remarks  on  the  func- 
tion of,  in  the  organism  of  the 
New  Testament,  iii.  33-39 

the  bridge  from  the  Gospels  to  the 
Epistles,  the  Epistles  inexplica- 
ble without,  iii.  40 

the  plan  of,  iii.  43 

the  epitome  or  prospect  of,  con- 
tained in  Acts,  i.  12-16,  iii.  49 
Adam,  as  head  of  his  household,  both 

king  and  priest,  1.  95 
Agitation,  our  motto:  "Truth,  like 
a  torch,  the  more  it's  shook,  it 
shines,"  i.  13 

not  all  discussion  and  controversy 
wrong,  i.  13 

for  the  purpose  of  discovery,  illus- 
tration, and  progress  of  truth, 
the  glory  of  Christ,  and  the  best 
intei-ests  of  man,  i.  14 

a  necessary  element  in  every  en- 
quiry after  truth,  i.  15 
Alexander,    Addison,    commentary 
on  Isaiah,  ii.  96 

sermon  on  Luke  xxii.  32,  iii.  65 

on  Acts  xix.  1,  iii.  67 

commentary  on  Corinthians,  iii.  113 
Almsgiving,  foremost  among  the  acts 
of  worship  in  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount,  i.  139 

also  founded  upon  the  plain  com- 
mands of  God,  the  example  of 
Christ,  and  the  image  of  God  in 
the  poor,  iii.  356 


Ananias  and  Sapphira,  the  essence 
of  their  crime,  iii.  98 
a  lie  only  possible  between  person 
and    person,   the    Holy    Ghost, 
therefore,  a  person,  iii.  99 
Ancient  Greece,  ii.  202-216 
its  place  in  the  providential  ordei 

of  the  world,  ii.  203 
an  elect  nation,   destined  to  im- 
press all  mankind,  ii.  203 
views  of  Gladstone  on,  ii.  203 
a  preparation  for  Christianity,  ii. 

207 
incarnation  of  God  familiar  to  the 

Greek  mind,  ii.  308 
Christian  theology  determined  by 
Greek  philosophy,  ii.  313 
Anselm  of  Canterbury,  cited  by  Owen 

on  justification,  i.  169 
Anti-Slavery  theories  versus  inspi- 
ration, by  Stuart  Robinson,  ii. 
165 
Apocalypse,  the,  ii.  167-201 
God's  King  in  contrast  with  the 

world's  king,  ii.  167 
opens  with  a  description   of  the 
church's    king,   who    bears  the 
form  of  a  man,  ii.  168 
his  kingdom  altogether  spiritual, 
ii.  171 
Apostle,  choosing  one  by  lot,  iii.  49 
Apostolical  succession,  ii.  113 
Architecture,  church,  i.  71 
Aristotle,  his  empire  wider  and  more 
absolute  than  that  of  his  pupil, 
Alexander  the  Great,  i.  214 
Asceticism,  i.  223-245 
derivative  and  etymological  signifi- 
cation of  the  term,  i.  235 
sense  in  which  all  Christians  are 
ascetics,  i.  235 


406 


General  Index. 


407 


Asceticism — 

errors  of,  concerning  the  Scriptures, 

ii.  236-229 
a  characteristic  of  Brahmanisra  and 
Buddhism, Pythagoras  and  Plato, 
ii.  231 

Athenian  worship,  object  of,  not 
a  person,  but  a  nonentity  or 
vague  absti'action,  iii.  168 

Asia,  throughout  the  Acts  "procon- 
sular Asia,"  a  narrow  strip  of 
Asia  Minor,  iii.  115 

AtJBERLEN,  ii.  175,  ii.  176,  ii.  190 

Bacon,  essay  on  studies,  ii.  68 

observations  on  prophecy,  ii.  129 
Baird,  digest  on  revivals,  i.  221 
Baeonids,  on  corruption  of  popes,  ii. 

225 
Baptism,  whose  children  have  a  right 
to,  i.  184 

errors  in  regard  to,  i.  185 

the  doctrine  of  the  church  in  re- 
gard to,  i.  186 

views  of  General  Assemblies,  i.  189 

baptized  children  members  of  the 
church,  in  a  sense  analogous  to 
their  membership  in  the  state, 
i.  193 

treated  in  Acts  ii.  39  as  having  the 
same  claim  to  the  promise  as  cir- 
cumcision, which  implies  no  or- 
ganic change  in  the  church,  iii.  220 

the  ' '  Baptists"  bound  to  show  that 
the  children  of  believers  have  been 
deprived  of  privileges  enjoyed 
for  two  thousand  years,  iii.  221 

heirs  apparent  to  the  kingdom  with 
special  promises,  advantages. and 
obligations  as  dedicated  to  God, 
iii.  223 

not  a  question  with  baptized  chil- 
dren whether  they  will  choose  the 
Lord  to  be  their  God,  the  ques- 
tion is  whether  they  will  aposta- 
tize, the  vow  of  the  Lord  is  upon 
them,  iii.  225 

was  this  the  same  as  John's?  iii. 
66,  67 

mode  of,  iii.  70 

Christian,  first  instance  of,  on  day 
of  Pentecost,  iii.  154 

of  a  whole  family  at  midnight,  iii. 
164 


Baumgakten,  ii.  335;  iii.  45,  46,  47, 
67,  97 

Be  ASTS ,  seven-headed  and  ten-homed , 
the  world  power  in  political  or- 
ganizations, ii.  175 
symbols  not  confined  to  any  par- 
ticular government,  though  some 
more  strikingly  exhibited  than 
others,  ii.  246 

Bengel  on  Acts,  iii.  50,  51,  73 

Benevolence  disinterested,  an  egre- 
gious misnomer,  ii.  149 

Bernard,  on  progress  of  doctrine  in 
the  New  Testament,  iii.  32,  33, 
35,  36,  38,  40,  42,  45 

Bible,  the,  why  in  so  small  a  com- 
pass, iii.  246 

Blood,  soul  or  life  in  the,  i.  92 

Breathing  a  true  prayer,  the  re- 
sponse to  the  breathing  of  the 
Spirit  upon  us,  iii.  93 

Breckenridge,  Dr.  R.  J.,  on  instru- 
mental music,  i.  87 
what  he  says  about  a  call  to  the 
ministry,  ii.  100 

Brtce's  Holy  Roman  Empire,  p.  312, 
ii.  232 

Burke,  iii.  121 

Burnet  on  the  Sabbath  memoirs, 
i.  199 

Butler  and  Horslet,  sermons  on 
Balaam,  iii.  82 

Butler,  sermon  on  human  nature, 
ii.  148 

BusHNELL,  on  language  as  a  vehicle 
of  thought,  ii.  37-39 

Cain,   the  father  of  Socinians  and 

other  deists,  i.  94 
Call  to  the  ministry  of  the  word, 
must  be  of  God,  ii.  97 

ministers,  ambassadors,  which  im- 
plies authority  and  higher  power, 
ii.  97 

how  is  a  man  to  know  he  has  a, 
ii.  98 

by  the  testimony  of  conscience  and 
by  the  voice  of  the  church 
through  its  courts  and  congre- 
gations, ii.  104 
Called  of  God,  ruling  elders  and 
deacons  as  well  as  preachers,  ii. 
104 

minister's  office  no  more  sacred, 


408 


Genekal  Index. 


Called  of  God- 
holiness  not  attached  to  office, 
but  to  men,  ii.  106. 
Canon,  I'eigning  idea  that  of  a  rule 
or  standard,  iii.  267 

the  shortest  way  to  settle-  the  ca- 
nonical authority  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, is  to  settle  the  inspiration 
of  the  New.  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tles approved  and  sanctified  the 
Old  Testament,  it  follows  we  are 
bound  to  receive  that  canon,  no 
more,  no  less,  iii.  268 
Carpenter,  inaugural,  British  asso- 
ciation, ii.  27 
Chalmers,  essay  on  "Difference  in 
principle  and  effect  between  a 
public  institution  for  the  relit" 
of  indigence,  and  a  public  insti- 
tution for  the  relief  of  disease," 
iii.  96 
Christ,  incarnation  and  death  of,  the 
central  point  in  the  world's  his- 
tory, i.  124 

the,  of  RomenottheChristof  Scrip- 
ture, i.  253 

his  works  not  to  be  explained  until 
after  they  had  been  performed, 
and  the  spirit  of  truth  had  taken 
up  his  abode  in  his  disciples,  iii. 
38 

the  Jews  fixed  their  exclusive  at- 
tention on  the  second  advent  of, 
iii.  80 

if  not  God  he  ought  to  have  been 
put  to  death,  iii.  89 

contact  with,  the  only  safeguard 
against  infidelity,  iii.  123 

his  condemnation  and  crucifixion 
the  unconscious  fulfilment  of 
prophecy,  iii.  151 

sovereign  in  directing  the  course 
of  the  gospel,  iii.  162 
Christianity,  the  only  system  once 
lost  that  has  ever  been  restored, 
ii.  128 
Church,  the  duty  of,  to  expose  the 
mystery  of  iniquity,  i.  237 

symbolized  as  a  woman  clothed 
with  the  sun.  ii.  185 

in  contrast  with  false  and  corrupt 
church,  ii.  187 

bride  of  the  Lamb  in  her  state  of 
ideal  perfection,  ii.  190 


Church — 

perfection  of  visible  church  reached 
through  conflict,  ii.  215 

the  ordinance  of  God,  ii   258 

founding  and  manifestation  of, 
guided  by  light  of  Scriptures 
and  providence,  iii.  50 

its  development  as  an  organism 
till  end  of  apostolic  age,  iii.  110. 

the  instrument  for  bringing  revela- 
tion in  contact  with  men,  the 
candlestick  but  not  the  light,  iii 
213 
Church  courts,  of  original  jurisdic 
tion  cannot  be  interferred  with 
by  the  General  Assembly,  i' 
334-337 

no  original  jurisdiction  given  to  the 
assembly  or  synod  in  the  mattel 
of  discipline,  ii.  340 

the  church  session  in  cases  of  dis- 
cipline the  only  court  competert 
to  Judge  what  remedy  to  apply, 
ii.  348 
Church  history,  all  history  in  it« 
widest  sense  a  statement  of  facts, 
and  lies  at  the  foundation  of  til 
knowledge,  ii.  112 

widest  classification,  theistic  an(r 
atheistic,  ii.  115 

the  evolution  of  the  plan  of  God 
settled  from  all  eternity,  ii.  117 

corresponding  with  the  knowledge 
of  God,  will  be  the  actual  de- 
velopment of  spiritual  life,  ii. 
123 

the  germ  of  an  antagonistic  de- 
velopment, enmity  to  God,  also 
destined  to  go  on  forever,  ii. 
124    * 

these  two  developments,  their 
struggles,  the  victory  of  one,  the 
defeat  of  the  other  constitute, 
ii.  125 

the  great  stages  of,  typical,  hence 
the  manifold  sense  of  prophecy, 
ii.  129 
Church  of  Rome,  i.  67 

chambers  of  imagery  in,  i.  249 
the  worship  of,  the  old  Jewish 
image  instead  of  the  true  glory, 
i.  255 

duty  of  the  church  to  expose  the 
mystery  of  iniquity,  i.  257 


General  Index. 


409 


Church  and  state,  relations  between, 
very  Imperfectly  defined,  ii.  2(5G 
even   the  (earthquake   of  the   Re- 
formation did  not  dissolve  the 
union  of,  ii.  271 
independence  of  the  spiritual  power 
of  the  state  first  proclaimed  in 
Scotland,  ii.  373 
CiLiciA,  Saul's  province,  which  fact 
may  account  for  his  being  present 
at  the  stoning  of  Stephen,  ill.  115 
Common  prayer,  not  always  common, 
prayer  is  the  offering  of  desires 
of  the  heart,  must  agree  in  the 
desires,  must  be  of  one  accord, 
as  well  as  in  one  place,  iii.  93 
Communion  of  Jews  and  Gentiles, 
first    record  of,   these  Gentiles 
travelling  with  contributions  to 
Jewish  saints,  iii.  180 
Communism,  none  of,  in  the  church  of 

Jerusalem,  iii.  99 
Contributions  the  most  conspicuous 
part  of  the  worship  of  the  primi- 
tive church,  stands  next  to  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles,  iii.  73 
CoNTROTERST,    a  neccssaiy  element 
in  every  inquiry  after  truth,  i.  15 
Conversion,    the    word    sometimes 
means     "  regeneration,"    which 
can  take    place  but  once,  and 
sometimes   that  turning,  of  the 
soul   to  God  which   is  the  per- 
petual business  of  the  Christian, 
iii.  65 
the  jailer's  conversion  as  a  conse- 
quence of  the  sufferings  of  Paul 
and  Silas,  iii.  164 
Council,  Sanhedrim,  a  body  whose 
constituents  were  more  definitely 
ascertained  than  those  of    the 
senate,  iii.  103 
Councils,  promote  unity,  iii.  158 
Covenant-breaking,  i.  73-76 
Creation,    the    sublime    announce- 
ment with  which  God  opens  his 
revelation  to  us,  conveys  more 
information,  etc.;  the  worst  form 
of  infidelity  that  which   denies 
the,  of  the  universe,  iii.  283 
Credentials  of  the  mission  of  Jesus 

of  Nazareth,  i.  25 
Creeds    of    Christendom,     by    Dr. 
Schaff,  ii.  243 


Creeds  of  Christendom — 
a  grand  design,  the  products  of  the 
mind  of  the  church  itself,  ii.  242 
a  symbolical  library  of  the  church 
universal,  ii.  343 
Cullen,  ' '  more  false  facts  than  false 
theories,"  ii.  113 

Dabnet,  Dr.  R.  L.,  ii.  30;  iii.  113 
Dale  and  other  works  on  baptism, 

iii.  70 
Deacons,  called  of  God,  ii.  104-106 
seven  men  chosen,  all  Grecians, 
this  not  the  origin  of  the,  office, 
must  have  been  such  ofiices  in 
the  synagogue,  and  the  deacons 
like  the  elders  passed  over  into 
the   church  without  notice,    iii. 
113 
DeQuinot,    on   literature   of   know- 
ledge and  power,  ii.  7 
on  German  style,  ii.  253 
Development  of  Scripture,  i.  894 
it  is  the  whole  gospel  in  the  first 
promise,  as  the  whole  oak  in  the 
acorn,  ii.  119 
the  great  stages  of  history  typical, 
hence  the  manifold  sense  of  pro- 
phecy, ii.  129 
Development  of  the  church  as  an 
organism,   note,    however,  that 
the,  takes  place  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  apostles  and  ceases 
with  the  age  of  the  apostles,  iii. 
110 
Devil,  the,  all  men  in  their  natural 
state  children  of,  iii.  319 
a  murderer  and  liar  from  the  be- 
ginning, iii.  335 
the  importance  of  a  knowledge  and 
consideration  of  the  personality 
and  agency  of,  iii.  298 
Discussion,  a  shaking  of  the  mind,  a 
shaking   of    the    object    matter 
about  which  it  is  employed,  i.  16 
necessary  for  the  development  of 
the  individual,  i.  18 
Disinterested  benevolence  an  egre- 
gious misnomer,  ii.  149 
Diversities  in  religion,  established 

in  this  country,  i.  14 
Doctrines    of    salvation,     matters 
which  lie  beyond  the  range  of 
the  human  understanding,  and. 


410 


GrENERAL  InDEX. 


Doctrines  of  Salvation — 

tlierefore,    must  be   matters   of 
divine  revelation  and  testimony, 
iii.  271 
Dominion  of  unfallen  man  and  the 
dominion  of  God  in  man,  or  God 
through  man,  ii.  168 
DoRNER,  Professor,  on  Christian  doc- 
trine, ii.  16 
on  endless  punishment,  ii.  20 
on  theology,  ii.  20 
on  Christ's  priestly  office,  ii.  23 
personal  free  decision,  ii.  23 
Duties  we  owe  ourselves  under  the 
name    of     "sobriety,"    "sober- 
mindedness";    we    are    to    live 
"sober"  as  well  as  "righteous" 
and  "godly"  lives,  i.  151 

Elders,  called  of  God,  ii.  104-106 
Erskine,    of    Dun,    on    church    and 

state,  ii.  272 
Eternal  generation  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  iii.  377 
the  discussion  of  Ihis,  profoundly 
mysterious  as  it  is,  must  be  pro- 
fitable,   the    soul    being    trans 
formed   into   the   image   of    the 
truths  it  contemplates,  iii.  383 
Ethiopia,  the  first  fruits  of,  iii.  139 
"Evangelists,"  danger  to  the  peace 
and  character  of  the  church  from 
so-called,  i.  233 
Eunuchs,    how    attracted    into    the 
kingdom  of  God,  iii.  129 
different  treatment  of,  in  New  and 
Old  Testaments,  iii.  129-132 

Face  of  angel,  a  figurative  expres- 
sion to  denote  a  face  of  glory 
and  beauty,  iii.  116 

Facts,  no  arguing  against,  the  apos- 
tles testified  to,  not  doctrines ; 
false  religions  have  their  martyrs, 
but  these  die  for  opinions  not, 
the  apostles,  to  attest  the  fact  of 
the  resurrection  of  Christ,  iii.  92 
more  false,  than  false  theories,  ii. 
113 

Fairbairne,  i.  92,  93;  ii.  105,  152, 
170,  187,  190,  195;  iii.  145 

Faith,  purity  of,  involved  in  purity 
of  worship,  i.  79 
and  reason,  see  Reason  and  Faith 


Fellowship,  between  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile, i.  41 

expressed  most  remarkably  at  that 
time  in  giving  to  each  other's  ne- 
cessities, iii.  72 
Filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  fulfil- 
meut  of  the  promise  in  Matthew 
X.  19,  20,  Mark  xiii.  2,  important 
to  be  noted,  determines  the  view 
to  be  taken  of  some  passages  in 
this  book,  iii.  90 
Finney,  the  Pelagian,  i.  215,  219 
First,    great    internal    trouble    and 
peril,  Acts  v.  1-16,  iii.  97 

peaching  of  the  apostles,  Peter's 
sermon.  Acts  ii.  14-36,  iii.  59 

suffering  of  the  apostles.  Acts  v. 
17-42,  iii.  103 

discussion.  Acts  vi.  1-7,  iii.  109 

another  danger  from  within,  grow- 
ing out  of  communion  of  the 
saints  in  their  substance,  iii.  110 

growth  of  the  church.  Acts  ii.  37- 
47,  effect  of  Peter's  speech  and 
subsequent  exhortation,  iii.  03 

instance  of  ordination,  see  Alex- 
ander, in  loco,  on  the  subject, 
and  the  false  papal  and  prelatical 
view  of  it;  see  Dr.  Peck's  article 
on  apostolical  succession.  South- 
ern Presbyterian  Heview,  July, 
1873,  republished  in  Ecclesiology, 
and  Dr.  Dabney's  review  in  same 
for  January,  1876,  iii.  113 

public  conflict  in  the  field  of  argu- 
ment   between    paganism    and 
Christianity,  iii.  168 
Foster,  John,  on  future  punishment, 

ii.  119 
Freedom,  area  of,  widened  by  widen- 
ing the  area  of  religion  and  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  i.  34 

General  Assembly  of  1856.  some 
general  observations  on,  ii.  290 
the  opening  sermon,  propriety  of 
publishing  them  considered,  ii. 
292 
reports  of  boards,  adopted  without 
discussion,  ii.  295 

Generation,  Eternal  generation,  see 
in  this  index 

Gift  of  Tongues,  why  did  the  ful- 
filment of  the  great  promise  of 


General  Index. 


411 


Gift  of  Tongues— 

the  Holy  Ghost  take  this  form  ? 
iii.  54 
Gifts  and  Graces,  Hebrews  vi.  4-6, 
"For  it  is  impossible,"  the  warn- 
ings to  Christians  do  not  imply 
that  the  calamities  can  ever  over- 
take them,  ii.  79 
distinction  between,  ii.  82 
I     gifts  may  be  lost,  graces  never  can 
be,  ii.  83 
a  twofold  illumination  ascribed  to 
the  Spirit  in  the  Scriptures,  ii.  84 
natural  powers  superuaturally  im- 
proved, John  Owen,  ii.  99 
Gladstone,  on  Greece,  ii.  203 
Gospel,  the,  the  heir  of  the  law,  iii. 
41,  42 
notaTjarren  speculation,  but  with 
a  great  practical  end,  iii.  369 
God,  always  just  to  all,  but  not  mer- 
ciful to  all :    "  He  hath  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy,''  ii.  24 
purpose  of  in  the  history  of  his 
church,  i.  102-105 
God  in  Christ,  a  work  by  Horace 
Bushnell,  D.  D.,   consisting  of 
three  discourses,  ii.  36 
his  views    show  the    progress  of 
infidel   opinions  in  the  church, 
ii.  47 
more    dangerous    because    in  the 
church,  ii.  50 
Government,  civil,  nature  and  func- 
tions of,  ii.  275-277 
for  man  as  man,  ii.  277 
Grace,   evidences  of  a  work  of,  iii. 

163 
Grotius,  iii.  54 

Hare,  on  Luther,  i.  318-324 

"Mission  of  the  Comforter,"  by, 
iii.  39 
Hamilton,  Sir  William,  Metaphysics, 
Lecture  II.,  i.  237 
assaults  on  the  character  of  Luther, 

i.  319 
discussion  on  moral  law,  ii.  148 
Hengstenbekg,   on  the  Revelation, 

iii.  112 
"Heresy,"  an  objectionable  trans- 
lation, an  ecclesiastical  idea  not 
found  in  Scripture  at  all;  revised 
edition,  "sect,"  iii.  193 


Herod,  and  John  the  Baptist,  feared 
John  and  heard   him  gladly,  i. 
51 
John's  fearlessness  in  rebuking,  i. 

52 
saved  John  from  the  malice  of  his 

wife,  i.  56 
apparent  contradiction  in  the  evan- 
gelists Matthew  and  ]\Iark,  i.  56 

Herodias,  selects  a  feast  as  a  time 
for  revenge,  i.  59 

History,  purpose  of  God  in  the  his- 
toiy  of  his  church,  iii.  102-105 
difference  Ijetween  sacred  and  eccle- 
siastic, iii.  157 

Hodge,  Charles,  i.  93,  154,  206;  ii. 
27,  241;   iii.  52 

Holy  Ghost,  brings  to  the  remem- 
brance of  the  apostles  the  things 
which  Jesus  had  spoken,  the 
method  seen  in  the  epistles,  so 
in  the  church  now  and  individual 
believers,  iii.  150 

Horsley,  Bishop,  "unconscious  pro- 
phecies of  heathendom,"  ii.  208 

Hostility  to  the  early  church,  the 
first  Acts,  iv.  1-22,  iii.  86 
the  rulers  first,  then  the  people  be- 
came enemies — Pharisees  more 
prominent  in  the  Gospels,  Saddu- 
cees  in  the  Acts 

Humanity,  impossible  without  di- 
vinity, ii.  174 

Human  nature,  the  same  in  all  ages, 
inferred  from  Stephen's  resume' 
of  Old  Testament,  iii.  125 

Infants,  death  of,  an  evidence  of 
original  sin,  iii.  290 

views  of  Presbyterian  Church  on 
the  salvation  of,  iii.  290 
Inspiration,     anti-slavery    theories 
versus,  ii.  165 

objections  to,  founded  upon  the 
mention  of  trivial  circumstances, 
iii.  361 

a  man  endowed  with,  desires  his 
books  and  especially  his  com- 
monplace books,  iii.  362 

Jerome,  testimony  of,  against  mon- 
asteries, i.  239 

Jesus,  of  Nazareth,  credentials  of  his 
mission,  i.  25 


412 


Geneeal  Index. 


Jesus,  of  Nazareth — 

rejection   of,    no  -  disproof   of    his 

claims,  iii.  124 
the    importance    attached    to   his 

name  in  the  Scriptures,  his  great 

name,  iii.  285 
Jews,  an  elect  nation,  i.  103 

never  worshipped  men,  ii.  203 
not  necessary  that  they  should  be 

rejected  in  order  to  the  reception 

of  the  Gentiles,  iii.  152 
must  have  the  circumcision  of  the 

heart  and  of  faith  as  the  Gentiles, 

iii.  157 
the  most  favored  of   God,   yet  of 

all  the  nations  of  the  earth  the 

most  depraved  and  abandoned, 

iii.  312 
Joseph  us,  Antiquities,  i.  282 
Judicial  law  of  Moses,  why  given, 

ii.  157 
pervading  characteristic  of,  justice, 

ii.  161 
distinction  between  what  it  appears 

and  establishes  and  what  it  only 

bears  with  and  regulates,  ii.  162 

distinction  between  7nala  per  se 

and  mala  pi'ohibita,  ii.  164 

Kingdom  of  God,  the  theocracy  the 
only   kind   of  government  that 
would  ever  have  existed,  if  man 
had    not    apostatized    from   his 
Maker,  iii.  44,  45 
compare  the  prominence  of  the,  in 
the  Epistles  of  the  Thessalonians, 
a  noteworthy  coincidence  (unde- 
signed) between  the  Epistles  and 
the  Acts,  iii.  167 
"KnowiNG  the  time,"  the   duty  of 
being  awake  and  living  to  God 
at  all  times,  iii.  350 
KuETZ,  on  sacrificial  worship  of  the 
Old  Testament,  iii.  71 
typical  character  of  history,  ii.  129 
worship  of  the  church,  i.  93 

Latimer,  Dr.  J.  F.,  on  unconverted 
church  members,  i.  220 

Law,  the  judicial,  see  Judicial  Lww 
of  Moses 

Law,  the  moral,  why  its  promulga- 
tion delayed  so  many  centuries  ? 
ii.  136 


Law — 
what  the  form  and  substance  of? 

ii.  140-152 
uses  of,  ii.  153 
what  it  involves,  ii.  154 
sustains  the  same  relation  to  the 

Christian    as    to    the    Hebrew 

church,  ii.  153 
an  easy  yoke  to  true  believers  as 

the  Psalms  show,  iii.  157 
Leg  ARE,  essay  on  Roman  orators,  ii. 

206 
essay  on  Roman  legislation,  ii.  267 
Liturgies,  instrumental  music  and 

architecture,  i.  66 
the  '• '  Presbyterian  Church  of  the 

United  States"  in  danger  of  a 

rupture   on   account  of   innova- 
tions, i.  67 
nothing    for  which  God  is  more 

jealous  than  his  worship,  i.  68 
introduction   of    such    forms   and 

usages  a  breach  of  covenant,  i. 

76 
Littleton,  on  the  conversion  of  Paul, 

iii.  247 
Lot,  the,  to  be  used  only  when  an 

act  of  worship,  iii.  51 
Lord's  supper,  the,  fatal  errors  taught 

in  the  church  in  regard  to,  i.  158 
a  positive  institution  of  Christ,  i. 

159 
a  teaching  ordinance,  symbols  for 

words,  i.  162 
celebrates  a  death  yet  an  eucharist, 

i.  169 
a  sealing   ordinance  appended   to 

the  gospel,  i.  173 
a   commemorative  ordinance   one 

of  the  two,  commanded  to   be 

celebrated,  i.  176 
to  be  celebrated  till  he  come,   i. 

178 

MAOAtTLAY,  on  the  great  seal,  i.  174 
Machinery  in  revivals,  i.  119 
Marriage,  of  a  Jewish  woman  with 
a  pagan,   not  so   objectionable, 
the  child  follows  the  mother,  iii. 
161 
Maetin  Luther,  the  child  of  poverty, 
a  beggar  of  bread,  i.  313 
yet  a  power  in  the  world,  the  in- 
strument of  a  revolution  which 


General  Index. 


413 


Martin  Luther — 

extended    to  the    business  and 
bosoms  of  all  men,  i.  314 
testimony  of  Henry  Rogers,  i.  331 
also  Sir  James  Stephen,  i.  329 
men  of  polished  taste  olfended  at 
his  vehemence  and  coarseness,  i. 
321 
he  did  not  mince  his  words,   but 

was  terribly  in  earnest,  i.  321 
endowed  with  large  affections,  i. 

329 
had  faults  as  a  theologian,  and  con- 
cerning the  Lord's  supper,  i.  330 
letter  to  Erasmus,  i.  333 
Mason,  i.  24.  283:  iii.  50,  85,  181 
Maurice,  religious  of  the  world,  i. 

231 
MoChetne,  on  winning  souls,  ii.  60 
McCosH,  iii.  2(51 
MoCosH  and  M.  Comte,  i.  101 
MoCde's    translation    of    Paschal's 
"Provincial  Letters,  i.  346,  351, 
356 
Means,  conditions  under  which  God 
in  his  sovereignty  exercises  his 
power — this  way,   no    other,   i. 
107 
under  the  New  Testament  preach- 
ing t\ie  means  of  salvation,  i.  108 
correspondence  between  the  nature 
of  the  end  and  the  character  of 
the  means,  i.  109 
Mercy  the  distinguishing  feature  of 
the  believer,  as  it  is  in  the  char- 
acter of    God,   it  seems  to  be 
made  the  very  essence  of  piety, 
iii.  356 
Meyrick,  working  of  the  church  in 

Spam,  i.  267 
Milman,    history  of  Christianity,   i. 

211,  232 

Milton,  Areopagitica,  i.  22 

Ministers  of  the  gospel,  their  duty 

to  take  heed  to  self,  what  a  man 

does  depends  on  what  he  is,  ii.  59 

godliness  a  fundamental  necessity, 

ii.  59 
no  conviction  of  divine  truth  with- 
out regeneration,  ii.  60 
necessity  and  mode  of  discipline  in 

piety,  ii.  61 
connection    between    prayer    and 
study,  ii.  62 


Ministers  of  the  gospel — 

constant  reading  of  God's  word  in 
the  English  version,  ii.  63 

a  third  element,  faithfulness,  ii. 
65 

in  exercises — scholastic  and  moral, 
ii.  68 

must  be  called  of  God,  ii.  97  ff 

must  know  it  through  voice  of  the 
church,  ii.  104 
Miracles    of    Christ,    consummate 

about  man's  body,  i.  26 
Missions  of  Protestants  and  Roman- 
ists compared,  i.  307 

the  Christian  church  has  always 
acknowledged  in  theory  at  least 
its  duty  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  whole  world,  i.  307 

for  several  reasons  the  palm  of 
missionary  zeal  belongs  to  the 
Romanists  in  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, i.  309 

like  the  Jews  in  rebuilding  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem,  the  Protest- 
ants stood  with  the  trowel  in  one 
hand  and  the  sword  in  the  other, 
i.  311 

the  result  of    historical   develop- 
ment, ii.  135 
Mode  of  Baptism  of  no  consequence ; 
concede  that  all  were  immersed, 
that  does    not    prove    that    all 
Christians  must  be,  iii.  70 
Monod,  i.  212;  ii.  9;  iii.  71 
Moses,  judicial  law  of,  see  Judicial 
Laio  of  Moses 

no  prophet  before,  there  was  pro- 
phetic gift,  but  not  office,  iii.  83 

"prophet  like  unto,"  none  other 
than  Christ — like,  in  particulars 
that,  was  unlike  other  prophets, 
iii.  84 

they  blaspheme  who  say,  only  is  to 
be  heard   after  that  prophet   is 
come,  iii.  124 
Mosheim,  1.  231,  308 

Name,  the,  of  Jesus  sustains  the 
same  relation  to  the  Christian 
church  that  the  name  of  Jeho- 
vah did  to  the  Jewish,  iii.  109 
he  is  called  Christ  also,  which  is 
the  name  of  office  as  Jesus  of 
person,  iii.  286 


414 


General  Index. 


Name — 

guidance  of  divine  providence  con- 
cerning, iii.  287 
"Christian,"  why  given?  iii.  235- 
237 

Nations,  governed  more  by  manners 
and  opinions  than  by  laws,  ii. 
267 

Natural  man,  any  man  destitute  of 
the  special  supernatural  illumi- 
nation of  the  Spirit,  iii.  304 

NoN- Communicating  church  mem- 
bers' relation  to  the  church,  ii. 
304 

Obligation,  distinction  between  per- 
fect and  imperfect,  i.  42 
Ordinances,  monuments  dependent 
upon  what  we  write  upon  them, 
i.  191 
no  signs  to  unbelievers,  i.  192 
Origen,  on  future  punishment,  ii.  9 
Olshausen,  on  community  in  goods, 

iii.  71 
Owen,  discourse  on  liturgies,  i.  81 
on  Hebrews  vii.  1,  i.  149 
on  Lord's  supper,  i.  165 
sermon  preached  at  Cripple  Gate, 
1682,  in  answer  to  the  question, 
How   is  the   love   of   truth   the 
best  preservative  against  popery? 
i.  251 
Reason  of  Faith,  iii.  264,  314 

Paradise,  of  God  and  tree  of  life, 
last  book  of  Bible  closes  as  the 
first  begins  with,  ii.  201 

Parable,  its  nature,  correspondence 

of  the  natural  and  spiritual  world 

designed,  not  fortuitous,  iii.  290 

of  the  sower,  the  first  delivered  by 

the  Saviour,  iii.  291 
peculiarly  appropriate,  designed  to 
teach  the  diversified  effect  of  di- 
vine truth  upon  the  minds  of 
men  according  to  their  different 
states,  iii.  291 

Parke  of  Andover,  theology  of  the 
intellect  and  theology  of  the  feel- 
ings, 11.  47 

Pascal,  on  Luther,  i.  324 
birth  and  death  of,  i.  335 
his  name  the  property  of  the  hu- 
man race,  i.  336 


Pascal — 

the  creator  of  the  French  language, 
i.  339 

the  literary  fame  of,  rests  on  the 
Provincial  Letters,  i.  346 
Passover,  its  connection  with  Pente- 
cost, iii.  52 

the  first  and  the  last  the  most  illus- 
trious, the  last  more  illustrious 
than  the  first,  iii.  216 
Paul,   at  Athens,  his  spirit   stirred 
within  him,  iii.  165 

the  first  public  conflict  in  the  field 
of  argument  between  paganism 
and  Christianity,  iii.  168 

though  an  inspired  apostle,  proved 
his  doctrine  by  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures,  iii.  168 

the  people  of  Lycaouia  though  with 
difficulty  persuaded  not  to  wor- 
ship, wei'e  persuaded  with  no 
difficulty  to  stone  him,  iii.  154 
Peace  of  God,  "Be  careful  for  no- 
thing," strange  exhortation,  care 
which  distracts  the  mind  opposed 
to,  which  passeth  all  understand- 
ing, ii.  88 

obtained  by  prayer,  the  antidote  of 
care,  ii.  94 

thanksgiving  a  part  of  prayer,  ii. 
96 
Pearson,  Bishop,   on  the  creed,  iii. 

285 
Peck,  Dr.  Thomas  E.,  birth  and  early 
days,  iii.  7 

youthful  studies,  theological  stu- 
dies, licensure,  first  fields  of 
labor,  iii.  9 

pastoral  work  in  Baltimore,  iii.  11 

professor  in  Union  Theological 
Seminary,  iii.  11 

his  death,  iii.  12 

personal  character  of,  iii.  12,  13,  14 

as  a  thinker,  iii.  15,  16,  17,  18 

as  a, teacher,  iii.  19,  20 

as  a  writer,  iii.  20 

awakening  the  church  on  the  mat- 
ters of  giving  and  the  deacon's 
office,  iii.  21-25 

domestic  character  and   relations, 

iii.  26 

Pentecost,    the    scene    there,    the 

pledge,  etc.,  that  all  languages 

shall  praise  the  true  God,  iii.  55 


General  Index. 


41^ 


Pentecost — 

of  all,  the  first  and  last  the  most 
illustrious,  the  last  more   illus- 
trious than  the  first,  iii.  216 
Peesecittiox,  first  general,  the  church 

scattered,  iii.  129 
Peter,  analysis  of  his  first  sermon, 
iii.  60-63 
the  first  preacher  among  the  apos- 
tles, iii.  59 
his    sermon    argumentative,    and 
drawn  from  Scripture,  teaching 
no  new  religion,  iii.  61 
enforced  by  a  tongue  of  fire  from  a 
heart  of  fire,  iii.  61 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees,  rational- 
ism and  traditionalism,  i.  281 
resemblance  between  the  rational- 
ism of  the  Sadducees  and  that  of 
the  German  and  English  estab- 
lishments worthy  of  remark,  i. 
283 
Pharisees  represented  by  the  tradi- 
tionalists, they  say  and  do  not, 
binding  heavy  burdens,  etc.,  i. 
289 
but  mainly  in  their  corruption  of 
the  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  i. 
290 
Philip,  a  deacon,  iii.  129 
Pleasure  the  reflex  of  energy,  i.  17 
pursued  in  this  country  as  if  it 
were  the  chief  thing  for  which 
mankind   and  womankind  were 
made,  i.  63 
great    necessity  of   watching   and 
prayer,  i.  65 
Plumer,  Dr.,  on  revivals,  i.  209,  212 
Poor,  the,  the  gospel  preached  to,  i. 
25 
evidence  of  Christ's  Messiahship, 

i.  27 
the  purpose  of  the  visible  church 
on  earth,  i.  28 
Popery,  a  judicial  infliction  on  man- 
kind, i.  247 
its  doctrine  and  worship  counter- 
feit of  the  true  worship  of  God, 
i.  249 
Positive  institutions,  more  subject 

■  to  attack  from  the  devil,  i.  98 
Poverty,  a  permanent  element  in  the 
social  economy  of  the  race,  i.  37 
Power  necessary  to  apprehend  the 


Power — 

truth  in  its  gloiy,  to  make  the 
testimony  effectual  in  Christians, 
to  adorn  the  truth  in  all  things, 
iii.  211 
Prayer,  connection  between,  and 
study.  Luther's  saying,  Bunyan, 
Milton,  Newton,  ii.  62 

common,  iii.  93 
Preacher,  the,  has  two  great  func- 
tions— to  testify  and  to  exhort,  a 
witness,  to  tel)  the  truth,  the 
whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the 
truth — the  truth  given  him  of 
God — hence  speaks  with  au- 
thority, and  should  be  heard 
with  meekness  and  love,  iii.  69 
Preaching,  the  grand  instrument  of 
changing  the  opinions  of  a  nation, 
i.  32 

before  writing,  before  printing,  has 
the  birthright  and  the  blessing, 
i.  33 

fervent  preaching  of  the  gospel,  iii. 
96 

first,  of  the  apostles,  iii.  59 
Probation  after  death,  belief  in  hell 
as  universal  as  belief  in  God,  and 
the  immortality  of  the  soul,  ii.  7 

the  denial  of  endless  retribution 
proves  its  belief,  ii.  8 
Progress  in  theology,  ii.  238 

it  is  alleged  there  must  be.  because 
it  is  a  science,  ii.  238 

no  opposition  between,  and  con- 
servatism properly  understood, 
ii.  240 

conservatism  the  conserving  of 
principles,  progress  the  extend- 
ing and  application  of  these  prin- 
ciples, ii.  240 
Prophecy,  of  manifold  sense,  why? 
ii.  129 

intended  for  the  whole  church,  in 
all  places,  in  all  times,  ii.  177 

incidents  in  the  life  of  Daniel  and 
his  friends   instructive   on   this 
head,  ii.  178 
Providence,  wheels  within  a  wheel, 

i.  202 
Purity  of  faith  involved  in  purity  of 
worship,  i.  79 

Questions,  on  the  powers  of  church 


416 


General  Ikdex. 


Questions — 

courts  —  has    the    General   As- 
sembly power  to  make  law  for 
the  church  in  matters  of  offence, 
ii.  334 
a,  of  immense  importance,  ii.  335 
is  the  power  of  the  whole  over 
every    part   or    only    over    the 
power  of  the  part?  is  the  whole 
simply  a  wheel  of    which    the 
parts  are  spokes,  or  a  wheel  of 
which  the  parts  are  also  wheels  ? 
ii.  336 
Qualifications  for  voters  for  church 
officers,  ii.  306,  ^07 

Rationale  of  true  revivals,  lii.  59 
Reason,   and   faith,    represented   as 
opposed  to  each  other  in  their 
very  nature,  iii.  337 

unscriptural,  it  is  reason  that  acts 
in  receiving  truths  upon  their 
oicn  evidence,  and  the  same  rea- 
son which  acts  in  receiving  truths 
on  the  testimony  of  competent 
witnesses.  Faith  the  ear  of  rea- 
son— the  acquiescence  of  reason 
in  the  truth  of  a  proposition  sup- 
ported by  testimony,  has  ears  as 
well  as  eyes,  iii.  340 
Rebellion  differs  from  other  crimes, 
in  tliat  it  is  aimed  at  the  very 
source  of  all  law,  i.  160 
Reception  of  the  Scriptures  as  a 
divine  and  infallible  rule  of  faith 
and  practice,  what  it  involves, 
iii.  263 
Reforms,  all  efficient,  begin  in  the 

lower  strata  of  society,  i.  33 
Reformation,  the,  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  ii.  317 

several  lines  of  providence  which 
converged  to  produce,  ii.  218 

corruption  in  the  church  and  so- 
ciety, first  cause  of,  ii.  230 

renaissance  or  revival  of  letters,  the 
next  cause  of,  ii.  231 

political  condition  of  Europe,  re- 
storing the  western  empire  and 
establishing  unity,  contributed 
to,  ii.  833 

comparison  of  Germany  and  France 
it  this  period,  ii.  236 

the  political  weakness  of  Germany 


The  Reformation— 

the  strength  of,  while  the  politi- 
cal strength  of  France  was  the 
weakness  of,  ii.  237 
Regeneration,  necessary  in  order  to 
conviction  of  divine  truth,  and  to 
a  proper  understanding  of  it,  ii. 
60 
its  nature,  iii.  258 
cannot  be  defined,  compared  to  the 
wind,  iii.  303 
Rejection  of  Jesus,  no  more  proof 
against  him  than  the   rejection 
of  Joseph  and  Moses  was  a  proof 
against  them,  iii.  124 
Relation  of    baptized  persons  not 
professing  faith  in  Christ  to  the 
church,  ii.  304 
Religion,  the  spiritual  knowledge  of 

God,  ii.  371 
Repentance,  the  indispensable  quali- 
fication   for    the    kingdom    of 
heaven  —  faith    and    repentance 
twin    sisters — Siamese  twins — 
one    cannot    exist  without  the 
other — to  the  Gentiles  it  is  be- 
lieve, to  the  Jews  it  is  repent, 
iii.  64,  65 
Revelation,  the  revelation  of  God 
and  fortune-telling    and    necro- 
mancy contrasted,  iii.  163 
Revival  of  religion,  i.  206-234 
questions  connected  with,  i.  207 
evidences  of  a  genuine,  i.  211 
means  to  be  used  for  obtaining,  i. 

212 
unauthorized  means,  i.  215 
use  of  machinery  in,  i.  216 
testimony  of  General  Assembly  on, 

i.  221 
evangelists  in  connection  with,  i. 

233 
rationale  of  a  true  revival,  iii.  59 
evidence  of  a  work  of  grace,  iii.  163 
Rice  on,  i.  315 
Revolutions,   connection    between, 
and  desire  for  salvation,  iii.  319 
Reynolds,  Bishop,  i.  381,  390;    iii. 

333 
Rice,  Dr.  Nathan,  on  revivals,  i.  315 
Righteousness  of  the  broken  law 
twofold:  first,  conformity  to  its 
precepts;  second,  satisfaction  to 
its  penalty;  both  impossible  to 


General  Index. 


417 


R  ighteo  usness — 

the    siuner;    both  achieved    by 
Christ,  becomes  the  sinuer's  by- 
faith;  this,  rejected  by  sinners, 
it  is  out  of  the  power  of  God  to 
save  tliem,  iii.  349 
Rights  of  property,  recognized   by 
the  apostles,  Acts  v.  4,  the  state 
of  things  described  not  to  be  uni- 
versal or  permanent,  iii.  96 
Robinson,  Dr.  Stuart,  ii.  165,  272 
life  and  labors  of,  i.  357-380 
time  and  place  of  birth,  ii.  357 
educated  at  Amherst  college,  i.  357 
Union  Seminary,  Virginia,  ii.  361 
Princeton  Seminai-y,  ii.  361 
licensed    by    the     Presbytery    of 

Greenbrier,  Va.,  i.  361 
identified    with      the      Kentucky 

church,  i.  361 
called  to  the  Associate-Reformed 

Church  in  Baltimore,  i.  363 
there    published   the   PresbyUrlal 

Critic,  i.  364 
transferred  to  Danville  Seminary, 

i.  366 
called     thence     to    Presbyterian 

church,  Louisville,  i.  369 
went  to  Canada,  1860,  i.  370 
returned  to  Louisville,  1866,  i.  375 
died  October  5,  1881,  i.  377 
Rogers,     Henry,      "Reason      and 
Faith,"    "Eclipse  of  Faith,"   i. 
286 
on  Luther,  i.  319 

essay  on  the  genius  of  Pascal,  i. 
336 
Romans,  an  elect  nation,  destined  to 

impress  all  mankind,  i.  203 
Ruling  elders,  called  of  God,  ii.  104 

Sabbath,  the,  pastoi'al  letter  on  the 

obsei'vance  of,  i.  195 
much  discussion  on,  i.  196 
affected  by  immigration,  i.  197 
value  of,  most  strikingly  exhibited 

in    the    history  of    the    Scotch 

people,  i.  199 
Luther  and  reformed  churches  on 

the  continent  of  Europe  wanting 

in  reverence  for,  i.  201 
connection  between,  and  the  insti- 
tution of  marriage,  i.  203 
Daniel  Webster's  opinion  on,  i.  204 

27 


SAORiLEGiors  theft,  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  professed  to  have  de- 
voted the  whole  of  the  land  to 
God.  Their  embezzlement  of  a 
part  an  act  of  sacrilege.  Achan 
an  example  in  the  beginning  of 
the  Mosaic  worship,  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  in  the  beginning  of 
Christian  worship ;  covetousness 
the  root  of  both,  iii.  100,  101 
Salvation  by  grace,  not  works,  for 
what  good  works  done  by  this 
pagan  jailer  about  to  commit 
self-murder?  iii.  164 

see  doctrines  of,  in  this  index. 

Samaritans,  gospel  among,  iii.  129 

Sanotifioation,  imperfection  of,  ai'- 

gued,  from  inability  to  obey  the 

law  perfectly,  etc. ,  etc. ,  specially 

from  Romans  vii.  14-26,  ii.  107 

this  passage  a  description  of  Paul's 
experience  as  a  regenerate  man, 
ii.  108 

objections  to  this  view,  ii.  110 
Satjl,  the  power  in  the  conversion  of , 
the  same  experienced  by  every 
believer,  i.  107 

connection  between  his  conversion 
and  the  ministry  of  Stephen,  iii. 
116 

in  full  accord  with  the  murderers 
of  Stephen,  not  merely  consent- 
ing to  his  death,  made  havoc  of 
the  church — thus  scattering  the 
word  everywhere,  compelled  to 
obey  Christ's  commission,  iii.  131 

his  conversion  no  mere  change  in 
the  governing  purpose  of  his  life, 
or  outward  reformation  affected 
by  the  will  of  man  or  the  will  of 
the  flesh,  but  a  new  nature,  new 
susceptibilities,  new  activities, 
the  opening  of  the  eye,  the  tm- 
stopping  of  the  ear,  casting  out 
of  the  unclean  spirit,  life  from 
the  dead,  a  new  creature,  a  new 
man,  created  in  the  image  and 
glory  of  God,  iii.  258 
Scene,  the,  at  Pentecost,  the  pledge 
and  earnest  that  all  "  languages  " 
shall  praise  the  true  God,  iii.  55 
SoHAFF,  ii.  117,  244,  245,  248;  iii.  52, 

57 
Science  and  revelation,  ii.  25-85 


418 


General  Index. 


Science — 

the  universe  and  the  Bible  never 
contradict  eacli  other,  what  is 
demonstrated  to  be  true  in 
science  must  be  true  always,  and 
what  God  testifies  in  his  word 
must  be  true  always,  ii.  25 

the  origin  of  the  world,  a  matter 
lying  beyond  the  range  of  science 
and  of  human  history,  ii.  29 

the  maxim  that  lilie  causes  will 
produce   lil^e    eiTects    admitted, 
but  tlie  converse  of  the  maxim 
*•  not  equally  valid,  ii.  29 

the  testimony  of  God  by  Moses 
proves   that  geology  is  neither 
prophet  nor  historian,  ii.  30 
SoEiPTURES,  the,  development  of,  i. 
294 

the  credibility  of,  once  established, 
their  sufficiency  as  a  rule  fol- 
lows, i.  304 

the  method  of  Bible  teaching  as  ad- 
mirable as  the  teaching,  i.  805 

just  notion  of,  ii.  118 

reception  of  Scriptures  as  a  divine 
and  infallible  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,  iii.  262 
"Seasons  of  refreshing,"  "times  of 
restitution,"  are  they  coincident? 
iii.  81 
Seven  churches  of  Asia,  ii.  180 

symbolical  in  character,  types  of 
the  whole  church  visible,  ii.  184 

the  condition  of  the  church  visible, 
a   mixed   one,  the   condition   of 
those  commended,   one  of  con- 
flict, the  promise  "to  him  that 
overcometh,"  ii.  184 
Sharp,  Dr.,  i.  148 
Shedd,  ii.  18,  20,  126,  241,  iii.  31 
SiGNiFioANOE  of  the  visit  of  the  wise 
men,  of  the  Greeks,  the  super- 
scription on  the  cross,  of  their 
gifts,   compare  the  anointing  of 
Mary,   the    reception    given   to 
God's  King  by  man's  king,  iii. 
288 
Sim,  aggravated  when  committed  by 
agreement,  iii.  100 

in  its  very  nature,  the  least  sin, 
aims  at  nothing  less  than  the 
absolute  destruction  of  the  foun- 
tain of  all  being,  iii.  333 


Slaughter  of  the  infants,  their  death 
an  evidence  of  original  sin,  iii.  290 

Sleep,  the  common  figure  for  death 
among  all  nations,  but  never 
used  in  the  New  Testament  of 
any  but  the  righteous,  iii.  128 

SooiNiANs,  their  position  Justifies 
putting  Christ  to  death,  iii.  89 

Sons  of  the  prophets  and  of  the  cove- 
nant; application  to  the  children 
of  the  church  in  all  ages,  iii.  85 

Son  of  Man,  the  only  place  in  the 
New  Testament  where  the  title 
is  given  to  Jesus  except  by  him- 
self, iii.  127 

Sovereignty  of  God,  turning  the 
precautions  of  his  enemies  into 
means  for  accomplishing  his 
purposes,  the  ignominy  of  the 
dungeon  bringing  them  in  con- 
tact with  souls  elected  of  God,  a 
pagan  brought  to  the  gates  of 
death  in  order  to  receive  eternal 
life,  iii.  163 

Spenoer,  Dr.  lehabod.  Pastor's 
Sketches,  on  revivals,  i.  217 

Sprague's,  Dr.,  Lectures  on  Revivals, 
i.  217 

Speech,  of  Stephen,  effective,  diffi- 
culties of,  difficulties  of  the  un- 
derstanding only,  iii.  123 

St.  Alphonso  de  Liguori,  The  Olo- 
Ties  of  Mary,  i.  265 

SiEPHEN,  the  first  martyr,  his  con- 
spicuous position  due  to  his 
faith,  as  well  as  the  sovereignty 
of  God.  iii.  115 
connection  between  his  ministry 
and  the  convei'sion  of  Paul,  iii. 
116 
his  defence  before  the  Sanhedrim, 

iii.  118 
effects  of  his  suffering  in  Jerusa- 
lem, compared  with  effects  of 
those  of  Paul  and  Silas  in 
Philippi,  iii.  164 
Christ's  divine  nature  could  not  be 
seen  by,  iii.  297 

Stephens,  Sir  James,  on  description 
of  Erasmus,  i.  331 
on  Port  Royalists,  i.  335 

Stoning,  the  mode  prescribed  in  the 
law  for  capital  punishment,  iii. 
138 


General  Index. 


419 


Symbol  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  tongues 
of  fire,  because  the  tongue  needs 
to  be  purified,  iii.  218 
Synods,  their  decisions  to  be  regu- 
lated by  the  word,  when  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  word  sub- 
mitted to  as  an  ordinance  of 
God,  iii.  154 
Systematic  beneficence,  i.  130-145 

contributions  of  funds  to  pious  uses, 
a  divine  ordinance,  an  act  of  reli- 
gious worship,  i.  130 

the  same  principles  hold  in  regard 
to  contributions  for  the  support  of 
the  gospel  and  its  diffusion,  i.  134 

this  proved  from  the  nature  of  wor- 
ship, i.  134 

the  instituted  worship  of  God's 
people  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, i.  136 

the  true  significance  more  truly 
brought  out  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, i.  139 

"free- will"  exercised,  not  as  to 
giving,  but  as  to  the  amount,  i. 
141 

not  inconsistent  with  the  worship 
of  the  Sabbath,  i.  144 

the  General  Assembly  right  in  re- 
quiring the  lower  courts  to  ob- 
serve this  ordinance  in  every 
church,  i.  144 

Talleyrand,  on  language  as  a  vehicle 
of  thought,  ii.  36 

Tallook  and  Newman  Symthe,  Cath- 
olic Presbyterian,  February  and 
March,  1883,  ii.  240 

Taylor,  iii.  36,  57 

Teaching  of  the  apostles,  mentioned 
first  as  constituting  the  name 
and  standard  of  everything,  as 
true  of  the  church  now  as  it  was 
then,  iii.  71 

Tears  of  Paul,  noted  three  times  in 
this  discourse,  verses  19,  31,  37, 
tears  of  grief,  of  charity,  of  com- 
passion as  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel, iii.  180 

Thornwell,  i.  154,  230;  ii.  27,  101, 
148,  295 

Tithe,  the,  moral  obligation  of,  cre- 
ated only  by  the  will  of  God,  i. 
146 


Tithe- 
would  change  the  whole  idea  of  the 

pastoral  office,  i.  152 
involves  a  pi'iesthood,  or  unscrip- 
tural  alliance  with  civil  powers, 
i.  153 
voluntary   contributions   the  New 
Testament  method,  i.  155 
Tongues,  why  did  the  fulfilment  of 
the  promise  of  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  take  this  form  ?     iii. 
54 
the    gift    of,    contrast    with    the 
plain  of  Shinar  twenty-five  cen- 
turies before,   and  the  scene  at 
Sinai  fifteen  centuries  before,  iii. 
215 
God   having  by  the   confusion  of 
tongues  scattered  the  race,  what 
sign  could  be  more  appropriate 
than  the  sign  of  various  tongues 
speaking  the  same   praises?  iii, 
55 
Towns  and  cities,  the  strongholds  of 

Christianity,  i.  84 
Trench,  i.  f^94;  iii.  55 
Triumphant    power   of   the  church, 
Acts,  iv.,  23-37 
the  church  does  not  ask  for  de- 
struction of   worldly   power,   or 
removal  of  danger,  but  for  the  in- 
ternal victoiy  over  the  threats 
and  violence  of  the  world;  this 
for  our  learning,  iii.  93 
Tribulation,    from   a    Latin    word 
meaning   a  threshing    machine, 
iii.  294 
Truth,  never  absolutely  novel  to  the 
meanest  of  minds,  needs  to  be 
developed,  but  not  planted,  i.  7 
fully  known  only  in  contrast  with 
multiform  and  many-sided  error, 
ii.  215 
Cometh   as    a   conquerer,    and   is, 
therefore,  received  as  an  enemy, 
ii.  231 
the  only  means  that  God  uses  for 
the  sanctiflcation  of  his  people, 
i.  164 
True  mission  of  a  called  man,  the 
only  right  thing  to  do  is  what 
the  Lord  who  made  us  will  have 
us  do.  Acts  iv.  6,  iii.  229 
TUEKETIN,  ii.  27 


420 


General  Index. 


Two  manner  of  people  in  the  bowels 
of  the  church,  "strict  construc- 
tionists" and  latitudinarians,  ii. 
387 

Ttndal,  theorj'  of  the  universe,  ii. 
240 

Union  schemes,  humanitarian  in  prin- 
ciple, ii.  259 
the  church  strewn  with  wrecks  of 

union  schemes,  ii.  260 
more  real  unity  in  the  branches  of 
the  reformed  body  than  in  the 
one  body  of  Rome,  ii.  263 

Unity  of  the  church  according  to  the 
Scriptures  is  the  unity  of  a  liv- 
ing organic  species,  admitting 
and  requiring  endless  diversity. 
In  necessariis  unitas,  iii.  56 

Unlearned  and  ignorant  men,  had 
been  with  Jesus,  a  better  school 
than  that  of  any  rabbi,  iii.  90 

Value  of  the  books  of  those  who 
used  curious  arts  which  were 
burned  amounted  to  seven  thou- 
sand or  eight  thousand  dollars, 
iii.  176 
Villar's  Esmi  8m'  DEsprit  and 
V Influence  de  la  Reformation,  ii. 
214 
Virgin  Mart,  Seymour  on  Roman- 
ism, i.  258 

testimonials  to  the  writer,  i.  258- 
260 

the  worship  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
in  the  Romish  church,  i.  261- 
265 

the  work  of  St.  Alphonso  de  Li- 
guori  endorsed  by  more  than 
twenty  of  the  bishops  of  the 
Romish  church  in  the  United 
States,  i.  266 

Freeman's  journal  on  immaculate 
conception,  i.  271 

passage  from  Brownson,  i.  272 

the  house  of  Loretto,  i.  273 

Mary  exalted  above  Christ,  i.  274, 
725 

what  the  Scriptures  say  of  Mary, 
i.  275-278 

the  deception  of  the  people,  i.  279 
Voltaire,      Bossuet,      D'Alembert, 
Condorcet,  on  Pascal,  i.  337 


Want,  the,  of  this  generation  a  sense 
of  the  importance  of  truth,  con- 
fidence in  its  power  and  a  just 
conception  of  the  end  for  which 
the  truth  is  proclaimed,  iii.  357 

Watts,  Catholic  Presbyterian,  1883, 
ii.  240 

Webster,  iii.  108 
Daniel,  on  the  Sabbath,  i.  209 

Wendeook,  1.  338 

Westminster  Confession  of  Faith, 
such  a  clear  and  complete  state- 
ment of  Christian  truth  would 
have  been  impossible  in  the  first 
century,  ii.  215 
better  known  probably  in  the  Latin 
translation  in  the  seventeenth 
century  than  now,  ii.  251 

Whately,    annotations   on   Bacon's 
Essai/s,  Essay  V.,  iii.  96 
on  the   errors  of    Romanism,    ii. 
249 

"What  shall  I  do,  Lord .5^"  the  soul 
essentially  active,  li.  247 

Who  are  called  to  preach  the  gospel  ? 
ill.  255 

Williams,  i.  32 

Winer,  Dr.,  on  confessions,  ii.  251 

Wisdom  of  man  versus  the  power  of 
God,  i.  99-129 
in  the  sphere  of  nature,  not  opposed, 

i.  100 
results  the  same  under  the  same 

physical  conditions,  i.  101 
in  affairs  of  common  life,  no  neces- 
sary connection  between  means 
and  ends,  i.  101 
but  in  reference  to  the  life  to  come 
the.  comes  out  most  impressive- 
ly, i.  102 

Women,  first  mention  of,  as  mem- 
bers of  the  church  in  Acts  v.  14, 
iii.  101. 

Wonders  and  signs  used  to  denote 
miracles,  iii.  72 
John  calls  the  miracles  of  Christ 
"works,"  what  are  extraordi- 
nary in  other  men  are  ordinary 
with  Christ,  iii.  72 

WooDRow.  Dr.,  ii.  25 

Words,  influence  on  the  passions, 
iii.  121 

Worship  of  God  the,  general  princi- 
ples touching,  1.  78 


General  Index. 


421 


Worship — 

what  God  the  Lord  has  spoken  in 
the  first  four  commandments 
ooucerniug,  i.  79 

God  absolute  dictator  in  the  mat- 
ter of  worship,  i.  81 

the  Lord's  prayer  in  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount  no  proof  that  forms 
of  human  invention  are  lawful, 
i.  88 

no  trace  of  instrumental  music  in 
public  worship  in  New  Testa- 
ment, i.  8o 

instrumental  music  for  religious 
uses  amongst  the  Jews  no  part 


Worship — 

of  synagogue  or  temple  system, 

i.  88 
first   record  of  external   worship, 

cultus,  Genesis  iv.,  1.  90 
a  bleeding  sacrifice  indispensable, 

i.  91 
the  soul  in  the  blood,  i.  92 
shadow  and  type  of  Christ's  sacri- 
fice, i.  93 
every    act    of    worship    priestly; 

Christ  the  true  Priest  under  the 

gospel,  i.  95 
all  true,  divinely  ordained,  i.  96 
man  incompetent  to  devise  modes 

of,  i.  97 


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